Hyperthermia following MDMA administration in rats: effects of ambient temperature, water consumption, and chronic dosing.
R I Dafters
Physiology & Behavior November 1, 1995 DOI: 10.1016/0031-9384(95)00136-7 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Male Wistar rats |
| Interventions | MDMA water deprivation |
| Dose | 2.5, 5.0, or 7.5 mg/kg MDMA |
| Duration | 13 additional days of dosing to test tolerance or sensitization |
| Measures | remote biotelemetry |
| Topics | MDMA |
| Keywords | Animals Rats, wistar Hyperkinesis Fever N-methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine Telemetry Body temperature Motor activity Drinking Male |
| Key findings | The hyperthermia following MDMA administration in rats is affected by ambient temperature, water availability, and dosing frequency. Higher ambient temperature increased the hyperthermic response but not hyperkinesis; water deprivation augmented hyperthermia only at 30 degrees C; and chronic dosing produced sensitization of both hyperthermic and hyperkinetic responses. |
Abstract
In two experiments it was found that the hyperthermia which follows MDMA ("Ecstasy") results from an interaction of direct pharmacological effect of the drug and the prevailing environmental conditions in which it is administered. In Experiment 1, rats given fixed doses of either 2.5, 5.0 or 7.5 mg/kg MDMA or saline were injected on different days at ambient temperatures (Ta's) of 11, 24, and 30 degrees C. At each Ta drinking water was freely available following dosing on one session and temporarily unavailable on a second. The hyperthermic and hyperkinetic responses were monitored using remote biotelemetry. Experiment 2 used a between-subject design in which each group of rats received a standard 7.5 mg/kg dose of MDMA administered at only one of the three levels of Ta(24 degrees C) and at only one level of the water-availability factor. Dosing in some groups was continued for a further 13 days to test for tolerance or sensitization effects. Ambient temperature significantly affected the magnitude of the hyperthermia but not the hyperkinesis. Water deprivation during the drugged period significantly augmented the hyperthermia, but only in the high Ta (30 degrees C.) condition. Chronic dosing produced sensitization of both hyperthermic and hyperkinetic responses. The findings indicate that ambient temperature, water consumption and frequency of drug use affect the hyperthermia which follows MDMA administration.
Comparable studies
Other preclinical and animal studies on MDMA, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 61
- Small Changes in Ambient Temperature Cause Large Changes in 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-Induced Serotonin Neurotoxicity and Core Body Temperature in the Rat Journal of Neuroscience July 1, 1998
- 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) neurotoxicity in rats: a reappraisal of past and present findings Psychopharmacology March 15, 2006
- MDMA (3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine) or Ecstasy: The Neuropsychobiological Implications of Taking It at Dances and Raves Neuropsychobiology 2004
- Safety pharmacology of acute MDMA administration in healthy subjects Journal of Psychopharmacology February 21, 2017
- Cardiovascular Effects of 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial Annals of Internal Medicine December 19, 2000
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Cites 6
- 'Eve' and 'Ecstasy'. A report of five deaths associated with the use of MDEA and MDMA JAMA March 27, 1987
- Methylenedioxymethamphetamine-induced hyperthermia and neurotoxicity are independently mediated by 5-HT2 receptors Brain Research October 1, 1990
- Hyperthermia associated with 3,4‐methylenedioxyethamphetamine (‘Eve’) Anaesthesia June 1, 1993
- Tolerance and cross-tolerance to the activating effects of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine and a 5-hydroxytryptamine1B agonist. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics October 1, 1992
- Toxicity and deaths from 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine ("ecstasy"). The Lancet August 15, 1992
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