MDMA (Ecstasy) substitutes for the ethanol discriminative cue in HAD but not LAD rats.
S M Meehan, T L Gordon, M D Schechter
Alcohol 1995 DOI: 10.1016/0741-8329(95)02004-7 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Animal behavioral pharmacology experiment Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Selectively bred high-alcohol-drinking (HAD) and low-alcohol-drinking (LAD) rats |
| Interventions | Ethanol MDMA |
| Dose | 600 mg/kg ethanol (10% w/v, IP); MDMA 3.0, 1.5, 1.0, and 0.5 mg/kg |
| Topics | MDMA |
| Key findings | HAD and LAD rats did not differ in acquiring discrimination of 600 mg/kg ethanol, but HAD rats were significantly more sensitive to MDMA at 3.0, 1.5, 1.0, and 0.5 mg/kg than LAD rats. The authors contend this supports serotonergic mediation of some behavioral effects of ethanol. |
Abstract
Selectively bred high- and low-alcohol-drinking (HAD/LAD) rats were trained to discriminate the interoceptive stimuli produced by IP-administered 600 mg/kg ethanol (10% w/v in a two-lever, food-motivated operant task. Once criterion discrimination was attained, animals were tested with 3.0, 1.5, 1.0, and 0.5 mg/kg MDMA. Although no differences in alcohol discrimination were observed between the HAD and LAD animals, the HAD line was significantly more sensitive than the LAD line to the effects of MDMA. These results provide additional information to the growing body of evidence suggesting serotonergic mediation of some of the behavioral effects of ethanol.
Comparable studies
Other preclinical and animal studies on MDMA, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
- Reinforcement schedule effects in rats trained to discriminate 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) or cocaine. Psychopharmacology January 2007
- Further characterization of the stimulus properties of 5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-1,3-dioxolo[4,5-g]isoquinoline. Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior May 2002
Cites 2
- Attenuation of alcohol consumption by MDMA (ecstasy) in two strains of alcohol-preferring rats. Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior September 1, 1992
- Serotonergic-dopaminergic mediation of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, "ecstasy"). Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior December 1988