Attenuating Glial Activation with Minocycline Reduces the Hyperthermic Response to 3, 4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) In the Rat

Abstract

Hyperthermia is a key clinical outcome from recreational use of MDMA and is the leading cause of MDMA related hospital admissions as well as being linked to enhanced neurotoxicity [1, 2]. Animal models of ischemia which also display hyperthermia have shown an inflammatory process mediated by microglia and the release of the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin 1(IL-1 ) play a role in hyperthermicreactions [3]. Previous studies showed that microglia is prominently activated and IL-1 levels increased following MDMA administration [4], lending support to the hypothesis microglia play a role in MDMA induced hyperthermia. Minocycline is a tetracycline antibiotic with powerful anti-inflammatory properties, thought to be a result of its ability to attenuate glial activation [5]. This study examined whether preventing microglial activation through the administration of minocycline could limit or prevent the hyperthermia induced by MDMA.