PRECLINICAL STUDY: Atypical development of behavioural sensitization to 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ‘Ecstasy’) in adolescent rats and its expression in adulthood: role of the MDMA chirality
Nora Von Ameln, Andreas Von Ameln‐mayerhofer
Addiction Biology 2010 DOI: 10.1111/j.1369-1600.2009.00187.x (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Experimental animal study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Adolescent rats |
| Dose | RS-MDMA 5 or 10 mg/kg; S-MDMA 5 mg/kg; R-MDMA 5 mg/kg |
| Duration | Stage 1: days 1–10; stage 2: days 15, 17, 19; followed by testing in adulthood |
| Measures | locomotor activity measured by photobeam-equipped activity box |
| Topics | MDMA |
| Citations | 14 |
| Key findings | Repeated administration of RS-MDMA or S-MDMA in adolescent rats produced acute hyperlocomotion and behavioral sensitization, while R-MDMA did not cause hyperactivity and reduced locomotion, yet pretreatment with R-MDMA led to a sensitized response when later challenged with RS-MDMA. |
Abstract
ABSTRACTDespite the great popularity of 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, Ecstasy) as a drug of abuse, not much is known about the detailed mechanisms of the acute and subchronic effects of the drug. There is especially a lack of information about the distinct behavioural effects of its optical isomers (enantiomers) R‐ and S‐MDMA compared with the racemic RS‐MDMA. For this purpose, adolescent rats were repetitively treated during two treatment stages (stage 1: days 1–10; stage 2: days 15, 17, 19) with RS‐MDMA (5 or 10 mg/kg) or each of the respective enantiomers (5 mg/kg). The repeated treatment started on postnatal day (PND) 32 and locomotor activity was measured on each day by means of a photobeam‐equipped activity box system. RS‐MDMA or S‐MDMA administration led acutely to massive hyperlocomotion and subchronically, to the development of behavioural sensitization after a short habituation period. R‐MDMA was free of hyperactivating effects and even decreased locomotor behaviour upon repeated treatment. Nevertheless, co‐administration of R‐MDMA increased the hyperactivity of S‐MDMA and made the S‐MDMA induced behavioural sensitization state‐dependent. The animals pre‐treated with R‐MDMA showed a sensitized response in adulthood when tested with RS‐MDMA. Our results indicated that even in the absence of substantial neurotoxicity, both MDMA enantiomers can lead to long‐term changes in brain circuitry and concomitant behavioural changes when repeatedly administered in adolescence. The sensitization development was most pronounced in the animals treated with S‐ and RS‐MDMA; the animals with R‐MDMA did not develop sensitization under repeated treatment but expressed a sensitized response when challenged with RS‐MDMA.
Comparable studies
Other preclinical and animal studies on MDMA, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 7
- Microglial and astroglial activation by 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) in mice depends on S(+) enantiomer and is associated with an increase in body temperature and motility Journal of Neurochemistry October 20, 2012
- Adolescent pre‐exposure to ethanol and 3,4‐methylenedioxymethylamphetamine (MDMA) increases conditioned rewarding effects of MDMA and drug‐induced reinstatement Addiction Biology October 13, 2011
- Balancing Therapeutic Efficacy and Safety of MDMA and Novel MDXX Analogues as Novel Treatments for Autism Spectrum Disorder. Psychedelic Medicine September 1, 2023
- The effects of acute and repeated adolescent MDMA exposure on behavior, cognition, and the monoamine neurotransmitter systems: A review of human and pre-clinical research Behavioural Brain Research February 10, 2026
- Acute and Long-Term Behavioural Effects of MDMA in Adolescent Rats The Open Addiction Journal March 29, 2011
and 2 more in the library
Cites 20
- Neurotoxicity of the psychedelic amphetamine, methylenedioxymethamphetamine. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics 1987
- 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine and 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine destroy serotonin terminals in rat brain: quantification of neurodegeneration by measurement of [3H]paroxetine-labeled serotonin uptake sites. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics September 1, 1987
- (±)3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (‘Ecstasy’)-Induced Serotonin Neurotoxicity: Studies in Animals Neuropsychobiology 2000
- The Background and Chemistry of MDMA Journal of Psychoactive Drugs October 1, 1986
- (±)3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (‘Ecstasy’)-Induced Serotonin Neurotoxicity: Clinical Studies Neuropsychobiology 2000
and 15 more in the library