Role of AMPA glutamate receptors in the conditioned rewarding effects of MDMA in mice.
María P García-Pardo, José Miñarro, María A. Aguilar
Behavioural Brain Research July 16, 2018 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2018.03.010 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Controlled experimental study using the conditioned place preference paradigm in mice Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Mice |
| Interventions | MDMA CNQX |
| Dose | MDMA 1.25 mg/kg; CNQX 0.25, 1 and 5 mg/kg |
| Measures | conditioned place preference (CPP) |
| Topics | MDMA |
| Keywords | Ampa receptors Cnqx Conditioned place preference Mice Reward |
| Key findings | Mice conditioned with MDMA (1.25 mg/kg) alone acquired conditioned place preference, while mice treated with CNQX at any dose (0.25, 1, or 5 mg/kg) before MDMA did not. The authors argue this supports involvement of the glutamatergic system in MDMA's rewarding effects and suggest AMPA receptor blockade as a possible therapeutic option for MDMA dependence. |
Abstract
Currently, there is not an effective treatment for 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) dependence but pharmacotherapies targeting glutamate neurotransmission are a promising strategy. Previously, we showed that blockade of glutamate NMDA and AMPA receptors impairs the conditioned rewarding effects of MDMA and cocaine, respectively. In this study we evaluated the role of AMPA receptors in the rewarding effects of MDMA in mice using the conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm. Mice were conditioned with MDMA (1.25 mg/kg) 60 min after the treatment with saline or different doses (0.25, 1 and 5 mg/kg) of the AMPA/kainate receptor antagonist, 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (CNQX). Mice conditioned with MDMA acquired CPP while those treated with any dose of CNQX + MDMA did not. These results supported the involvement of the glutamatergic system in the rewarding properties of MDMA, and suggest that AMPA receptor blockade could be a new therapeutic option for the treatment of those individuals that develop MDMA dependence.
Comparable studies
Other preclinical and animal studies on MDMA, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 3
- Psychedelics in Psychiatry: Neuroplastic, Immunomodulatory, and Neurotransmitter Mechanisms Pharmacological Reviews December 16, 2020
- Of mice and men on MDMA: a translational comparison of the neuropsychobiological effects of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine ('Ecstasy'). Brain Research November 14, 2019
- Reduced Efficacy of d-Amphetamine and 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine in Inducing Hyperactivity in Mice Lacking the Postsynaptic Scaffolding Protein SHANK1. Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience 2018
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