Interactions between 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine and Ethanol in Humans and Rodents
Wael M.Y. Mohamed, Sami Ben Hamida, Anne Pereira De Vasconcelos, Jean-Christophe Cassel, Byron C Jones
Neuropsychobiology 2009 DOI: 10.1159/000253554 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | MDMA |
| Key findings | The review summarizes that MDMA and ethanol are commonly combined recreationally, and in rats ethanol potentiates MDMA-induced hyperactivity while potentially attenuating hyperthermia depending on ambient temperature, raising concerns about altered pharmacokinetics and abuse liability. |
Abstract
Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ecstasy) is a widely used recreational drug, often associated with dance parties. Users self-report euphoria, a sense of well-being and increased feelings of affiliation. In experimental animals, MDMA produces an acute, rapid release of serotonin and, to a lesser extent, dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain. It can also produce a dose-dependent, life-threatening hyperthermia in rodents, primates and humans. Moreover, there is evidence of long-term neurological and psychological effects in heavy users. In rats, MDMA increases the locomotor activity. When used recreationally, MDMA is often taken with other drugs including amphetamine, cannabis, cocaine or ethanol (EtOH). Epidemiological data suggest that MDMA-EtOH is one of the most common combinations. In rats, EtOH potentiates MDMA-induced hyperactivity but may attenuate its hyperthermic effect, depending on the ambient temperature. The possibility that EtOH may modify the pharmacokinetics and pharmadynamics of MDMA is of concern in terms of liability for misuse abuse. In this short review, we focus on the known interactions between MDMA and EtOH in humans and rodents.
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 5
- 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
- Strategic control, consolidation and poly-drug use; the relative contributions to verbal memory impairment in recreational ecstasy users UTAS Research Repository August 1, 2014
- Prenatal Exposure to Alcohol and 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (Ecstasy) Alters Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis and Causes Enduring Memory Deficits Developmental Neuroscience 2014
- MDMA: interactions with other psychoactive drugs. Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior October 2011
- Adolescent pre-exposure to ethanol or MDMA prolongs the conditioned rewarding effects of MDMA. Physiology & Behavior February 12, 2011
Cites 36
- Amphetamine-type central nervous system stimulants release norepinephrine more potently than they release dopamine and serotonin Synapse 2000
- Reducedin vivobinding to the serotonin transporter in the cerebral cortex of MDMA (‘ecstasy’) users The British Journal of Psychiatry July 1, 1999
- Patterns of simultaneous polysubstance use in drug using university students Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental June 1, 2006
- 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) neurotoxicity in rats: a reappraisal of past and present findings Psychopharmacology March 15, 2006
- The confounding problem of polydrug use in recreational ecstasy/MDMA users: a brief overview Journal of Psychopharmacology March 1, 2006
and 31 more in the library