Intracranial self-administration of MDMA into the ventral striatum of the rat: differential roles of the nucleus accumbens shell, core, and olfactory tubercle.
Rick Shin, Mei Qin, Zhong-Hua Liu, Satoshi Ikemoto
Psychopharmacology June 2008 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-008-1131-x (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Experimental animal study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Rats |
| Interventions | MDMA SCH 23390 raclopride |
| Dose | 30 mM MDMA; SCH 23390 1-3 mM; raclopride 3-10 mM |
| Topics | MDMA |
| Key findings | Rats self-administered MDMA into the medial olfactory tubercle, medial accumbens shell, and accumbens core, but not lateral sites, at rates higher than vehicle. The medial shell supported more vigorous self-administration at higher concentrations, and this was disrupted by D1 or D2 antagonists, suggesting the medial shell mediates MDMA's reinforcing effects via both receptor types. |
Abstract
Behavioral and anatomical data suggest that the ventral striatum, consisting of the nucleus accumbens and olfactory tubercle, is functionally heterogeneous. Cocaine and D: -amphetamine appear to be more rewarding when administered into the medial olfactory tubercle or medial accumbens shell than into their lateral counterparts, including the accumbens core. We sought to determine whether rats self-administer the popular recreational drug (+/-)-3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) into ventrostriatal subregions and whether the medial olfactory tubercle and medial accumbens shell mediate MDMA's positive reinforcing effects more effectively than their lateral counterparts. Rats receiving 30 mM MDMA into the medial olfactory tubercle, medial accumbens shell, or accumbens core, but not the lateral tubercle or lateral shell, showed higher self-administration rates than rats receiving vehicle. The medial shell supported more vigorous self-administration of MDMA at higher concentrations than the core or medial olfactory tubercle. In addition, intra-medial shell MDMA self-administration was disrupted by co-administration of the D1 or D2 receptor antagonists SCH 23390 (1-3 mM) or raclopride (3-10 mM). Our data suggest that the ventral striatum is functionally heterogeneous. The medial accumbens shell appears to be more important than other ventrostriatal subregions in mediating the positive reinforcing effects of MDMA via both D1- and D2-type receptors. Together with previous data, our data also suggest that unidentified actions of MDMA interfere with the positive reinforcing effects of dopamine in the medial olfactory tubercle.
Comparable studies
Other preclinical and animal studies on MDMA, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 4
- The ugly side of amphetamines: short- and long-term toxicity of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ‘Ecstasy’), methamphetamine and d-amphetamine Biological Chemistry January 2, 2011
- MDMA Self-Administration in Laboratory Animals: A Summary of the Literature and Proposal for Future Research Neuropsychobiology 2009
- History, pharmacology and therapeutic mechanisms of 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) British Journal of Pharmacology October 21, 2025
- Is ecstasy a drug of dependence? Drug and Alcohol Dependence February 1, 2010
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