5-Hydroxyindoleacetic acid in cerebrospinal fluid reflects serotonergic damage induced by 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine in CNS of non-human primates.
George A. Ricaurte, L. Delanney, S. Wiener, I. Irwin, J. Langston
Brain Research December 6, 1988 DOI: 10.1016/0006-8993(88)90451-9 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational animal study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Non-human primates (monkeys) administered toxic doses of MDMA |
| Intervention | MDMA |
| Duration | CSF sampled two weeks after MDMA administration; animals killed the same day |
| Measures | 5-HIAA, homovanillic acid (HVA), 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenethyleneglycol (MHPG) |
| Topics | MDMA Serotonin |
| Key findings | Monkeys with 73-94% serotonin and 5-HIAA depletion in brain and 42-45% depletion in spinal cord showed a 60 +/- 7% reduction in CSF 5-HIAA, with no change in HVA or MHPG. The authors conclude that CSF 5-HIAA can detect central serotonergic damage from MDMA in non-human primates and suggest it may be useful for detecting MDMA-induced neuronal damage in humans. |
Abstract
This study examined whether 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) could be used to detect serotonergic damage induced by (+/-)-3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) in the central nervous system (CNS) of non-human primates. Monkeys were administered toxic doses of MDMA; two weeks later, the animals were lightly anesthetized with ether and CSF was obtained by means of cervical puncture. Later that same day, the animals were killed for direct determination of CNS serotonin and 5-HIAA concentrations. Monkeys with 73-94% depletions of serotonin and 5-HIAA in brain and 42-45% depletions of serotonin and 5-HIAA in the spinal cord had a 60 +/- 7% reduction of 5-HIAA in CSF, without any change in homovanillic acid (HVA) or 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenethyleneglycol (MHPG). These findings indicate that CSF 5-HIAA can be employed to detect central serotonergic damage produced by MDMA in non-human primates, and suggest that CSF 5-HIAA may be useful for detecting MDMA-induced neuronal damage in humans.
Comparable studies
Other preclinical and animal studies on MDMA, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 40
- Positron emission tomographic evidence of toxic effect of MDMA (“Ecstasy”) on brain serotonin neurons in human beings The Lancet October 1, 1998
- Memory impairment in abstinent MDMA ("Ecstasy") users Neurology December 1, 1998
- Cardiovascular and neuroendocrine effects and pharmacokinetics of 3, 4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine in humans. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics July 1, 1999
- Reorganization of ascending 5-HT axon projections in animals previously exposed to the recreational drug (+/-)3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, "ecstasy") Journal of Neuroscience August 1, 1995
- Human Pharmacology of 3,4-Methylenedioxymeth-amphetamine ("Ecstasy"): Psychomotor Performance and Subjective Effects Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology August 1, 2000
and 35 more in the library
Cites 8
- Methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA) and methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) cause selective ablation of serotonergic axon terminals in forebrain: immunocytochemical evidence for neurotoxicity Journal of Neuroscience August 1, 1988
- Neurotoxicity of the psychedelic amphetamine, methylenedioxymethamphetamine. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics 1987
- 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine and 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine destroy serotonin terminals in rat brain: quantification of neurodegeneration by measurement of [3H]paroxetine-labeled serotonin uptake sites. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics September 1, 1987
- Distinct morphologic classes of serotonergic axons in primates exhibit differential vulnerability to the psychotropic drug 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine. Neuroscience 1989
- Toxic effects of MDMA on central serotonergic neurons in the primate: importance of route and frequency of drug administration. Brain Research April 12, 1988
and 3 more in the library