3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine, serotonin and memory.
George A. Ricaurte, A L Markowska, G L Wenk, George Hatzidimitriou, J Wlos, D S Olton
Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics August 1, 1993 DOI: 10.1016/s0022-3565(25)38362-x (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Controlled animal experiment Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Male rats |
| Interventions | MDMA 5 7-dihydroxytryptamine desmethylimipramine scopolamine saline |
| Duration | Behavioral testing began 4 weeks after drug treatment |
| Topics | Serotonin MDMA |
| Keywords | Animals Rats N-methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine Scopolamine 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine Desipramine Immunohistochemistry Learning Memory Brain chemistry Male |
| Key findings | MDMA produced a substantial, selective reduction of brain serotonin but had no effect on choice accuracy in spatial alternation tasks. In contrast, 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine/desmethylimipramine, which nearly eliminated serotonin and modestly reduced norepinephrine, impaired choice accuracy in all three task variations. The authors suggest selective serotonin damage like that from MDMA is not sufficient to impair memory, but combined serotonin and norepinephrine damage can disrupt recent memory. |
Abstract
The recreational drug (+/-)-3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, "Ecstasy") is toxic to central serotonin (5-HT) neurons, but few long-term functional consequences of MDMA neurotoxicity have been identified. Because 5-HT has been implicated in learning and memory, the present study was undertaken to examine whether MDMA, by damaging 5-HT neurons, altered mnemonic function on a long-term basis. Rats were treated with saline, MDMA or 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine/desmethylimipramine. The latter treatment group was included to assess the effects of larger 5-HT neuronal lesions than are possible with MDMA. Four weeks after drug treatment, memory was assessed in three different variations of spatial alternation in a T-maze: acquisition with a constant and short delay interval, performance with variable delays and treatment with scopolamine. Upon completion of the behavioral studies, the neurotoxic effects of the drugs were assessed chemically and anatomically. MDMA, which produced a substantial and selective reduction of brain 5-HT, had no effect on choice accuracy. 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine/desmethylimipramine which produced a near-total reduction of 5-HT and a modest reduction of norepinephrine, impaired choice accuracy in all three variations of the task. These data suggest that selective damage to the 5-HT system, like that produced by MDMA, is not sufficient to impair memory, but that combined damage to the 5-HT and norepinephrine systems can disrupt performance in tasks that require recent memory. Because Alzheimer's disease involves impairments in acetylcholine, 5-HT and norepinephrine systems, animals with combined lesions may provide a useful model to study the mnemonic dysfunctions characteristic of this disease.
Comparable studies
Other preclinical and animal studies on MDMA, most cited first.
Citations in the library
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- A developmental comparison of the neurobehavioral effects of ecstasy (MDMA) Neurotoxicology and Teratology October 21, 2006
- Acute and chronic effects of MDMA on molecular mechanisms implicated in memory formation in rat hippocampus: surface expression of CaMKII and NMDA receptor subunits. Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior September 9, 2005
- An examination of the effects of 5-Methoxy-n, n-di(ISO)propyltryptamine hydrochloride (Foxy) on cognitive development in rats. Psychological Reports June 1, 2006
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