On the Mechanisms Underlying 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine Toxicity: The Dilemma of the Chicken and the Egg
Elena Puerta, Isabel Hervias, Norberto Aguirre
Neuropsychobiology 2009 DOI: 10.1159/000253548 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | MDMA |
| Key findings | Argues that the two leading hypotheses for MDMA neurotoxicity—dopamine metabolism inside serotonin terminals and MDMA metabolism into pro-oxidant compounds—are not mutually exclusive and can be reconciled into a unified mechanism. |
Abstract
Administration of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ecstasy) to various experimental animals has been shown to induce a selective damage to serotonergic axon terminals. While a great consensus appears to exist regarding the causative role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the mechanisms underlying MDMA toxicity, the source of free radicals is still a matter of debate. While some authors support dopamine metabolism/oxidation inside 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) terminals as the key factor responsible for ROS formation and final 5-HT terminal degeneration, others believe it is MDMA metabolism into pro-oxidant compounds. Although at first sight both hypotheses appear to contend with each other, it may not be the case. This mini-review was therefore undertaken to try to reconcile both hypotheses and to address the dilemma of the causality of MDMA neurotoxicity.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on MDMA, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Human Pharmacology of MDMA | 2004 | Review | |
| Human psychopharmacology of Ecstasy (MDMA): a review of 15 years of empirical research | 2001 | Review | |
| 3,4‐Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, “Ecstasy”): pharmacology and toxicology in animals and humans | 1994 | Review | |
| (±)3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (‘Ecstasy’)-Induced Serotonin Neurotoxicity: Studies in Animals | 2000 | Review | |
| Amphetamine toxicities | 2010 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 12
- Human psychobiology of MDMA or ‘Ecstasy’: an overview of 25 years of empirical research Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental July 1, 2013
- 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA): current perspectives Substance Abuse and Rehabilitation November 1, 2013
- Long‐lasting neuroprotective effect of sildenafil against 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine‐ induced 5‐hydroxytryptamine deficits in the rat brain Journal of Neuroscience Research September 21, 2011
- Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, 'Ecstasy'): Neurodegeneration versus Neuromodulation Pharmaceuticals July 5, 2011
- Strategic control, consolidation and poly-drug use; the relative contributions to verbal memory impairment in recreational ecstasy users UTAS Research Repository August 1, 2014
and 7 more in the library
Cites 73
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- Human Pharmacology of MDMA Therapeutic Drug Monitoring March 19, 2004
and 68 more in the library