MDMA ('Ecstasy'), oxytocin and vasopressin modulate social preference in rats: A role for handling and oxytocin receptors.
Linnet Ramos, Callum Hicks, Alex Caminer, Kalliu Couto, Rajeshwar Narlawar, Michael Kassiou, Iain S. Mcgregor
Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior 2016 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2016.10.002 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Experimental animal study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Laboratory rats with different handling histories (well-handled and minimally handled) |
| Interventions | MDMA oxytocin vasopressin Compound 25 SR49059 |
| Dose | MDMA 5 mg/kg, OT 0.5 mg/kg, AVP 0.005 mg/kg, Compound 25 5 mg/kg, SR49059 1 mg/kg |
| Topics | MDMA |
| Keywords | Compound 25 Handling Oxytocin Sr49059 Social preference Vasopressin |
| Key findings | MDMA, oxytocin, and vasopressin altered social preference in rats in a manner dependent on prior handling: in well-handled rats they increased preference (largely by reducing empty-cage investigation), while in minimally handled rats they reduced investigation of both cages. The oxytocin receptor antagonist Compound 25, but not the vasopressin V1A antagonist SR49059, reduced baseline preference and blocked oxytocin- and vasopressin-induced preference, indicating oxytocin receptor rather than V1A receptor involvement. |
Abstract
In laboratory rats, peripheral administration of the neuropeptides oxytocin (OT) and vasopressin (AVP) induces similar prosocial effects (i.e. increased adjacent lying) to the party drug 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), which are sensitive to vasopressin V1A receptor (V1AR) antagonism. Here, we employed a social preference paradigm to further compare the prosocial effects of OT, AVP and MDMA. We also investigated the possible involvement of the V1AR and oxytocin receptor (OTR) in rodent social preference. The social preference paradigm measures investigation times towards an empty wire cage (presented for 4min) followed by an identical cage containing a novel rat (also presented for 4min). Social preference is defined as greater investigation time towards the inhabited cage than the empty cage. Results indicated that well-handled rats exhibited no social preference at baseline, while intraperitoneally injected MDMA (5mg/kg), OT (0.5mg/kg) and AVP (0.005mg/kg) increased social preference. However, this effect was primarily due to reduced investigation of the empty cage. In contrast, rats that received minimal prior handling displayed a social preference at baseline, while MDMA (5mg/kg), OT (0.5mg/kg) and AVP (0.005mg/kg) reduced investigation times towards both the empty and inhabited cages. Lower doses of MDMA, OT and AVP were ineffective. The OTR antagonist Compound 25 (C25, 5mg/kg), but not the V1AR antagonist SR49059 (1mg/kg), reduced the baseline social preference seen in minimally-handled rats and prevented the social preference induced by OT and AVP (but not MDMA) in well-handled rats. Overall, these results further confirm prosocial actions of MDMA, OT and AVP, which are dependent on handling history. These findings also indicate that social preference is sensitive to OTR rather than V1AR modulation.
Comparable studies
Other preclinical and animal studies on MDMA, most cited first.
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Cites 9
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