Oxytocin and MDMA ('Ecstasy') enhance social reward in rats.
Linnet Ramos, Callum Hicks, Alex Caminer, Jack Goodwin, Iain S. Mcgregor
Psychopharmacology July 2015 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-015-3899-9 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Adult male rats |
| Interventions | Oxytocin Vasopressin MDMA |
| Dose | Oxytocin 0.5 mg/kg, intraperitoneal (i.p.); vasopressin 0.005 mg/kg, i.p.; MDMA 5 mg/kg, i.p. |
| Duration | Conditioning sessions twice daily; CPP assessed 24 h, 2 weeks, and 4 weeks later |
| Measures | Conditioned place preference (CPP) |
| Topics | MDMA |
| Key findings | Oxytocin and MDMA alone did not produce conditioned place preference, but each produced a significant CPP lasting at least four weeks when conditioning occurred with a conspecific present, and a smaller but significant CPP with a tennis ball present. Vasopressin produced no CPP in any condition. The authors propose that oxytocin and MDMA augment the rewarding effects of social interaction, and that vasopressin may promote social proximity by inducing anxiety and defensive aggregation. |
Abstract
Oxytocin (OT), vasopressin (AVP) and 3,4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, 'Ecstasy') all increase social interaction in rats, perhaps by enhancing the rewarding value of social encounters. Here, we used the conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm to assess the intrinsic rewarding effects of OT, AVP and MDMA, and whether these effects are enhanced by the presence of a conspecific, or a dynamic, tactile object (a tennis ball). Adult male rats received conditioning sessions in a CPP apparatus twice a day (vehicle at 10 a.m., drug at 3 p.m.). Experiment 1 involved conditioning with OT (0.5 mg/kg, intraperitoneal (i.p.)), AVP (0.005 mg/kg, i.p.) or MDMA (5 mg/kg, i.p.). Experiments 2 and 3 involved conditioning with the same treatments but in the presence of a conspecific receiving the same treatment (social-CPP) or in the presence of a tennis ball (object-CPP), respectively. Conditioned place preference was assessed 24 h, 2 weeks and 4 weeks later. OT, AVP and MDMA did not produce a conventional CPP. However, when the conditioning environment also contained a conspecific both OT and MDMA induced a significant CPP lasting for at least 4 weeks. Rats given OT and MDMA also developed a more modest yet significant CPP for the environment where they encountered a tennis ball. These results indicate that OT and MDMA can augment the rewarding effects of social interaction, but also interaction with a dynamic and tactile non-social object. AVP does not condition social- or object-CPPs and may promote social proximity by inducing generalized anxiety and defensive aggregation.
Comparable studies
Other preclinical and animal studies on MDMA, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 10
- The Prosocial Effects of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA): Controlled Studies in Humans and Laboratory Animals Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews September 25, 2015
- Dark Classics in Chemical Neuroscience: 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine ACS Chemical Neuroscience July 12, 2018
- A neurobiological perspective on social influence: Serotonin and social adaptation Journal of Neurochemistry March 11, 2022
- MDMA treatment paired with a trauma-cue promotes adaptive stress responses in a translational model of PTSD in rats Translational Psychiatry May 3, 2022
- History, pharmacology and therapeutic mechanisms of 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) British Journal of Pharmacology October 21, 2025
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Cites 10
- Durability of improvement in post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms and absence of harmful effects or drug dependency after 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine-assisted psychotherapy: a prospective long-term follow-up study. Journal of Psychopharmacology 2013
- MDMA alters emotional processing and facilitates positive social interaction Psychopharmacology April 12, 2014
- Sex Differences in the Effects of MDMA (Ecstasy) on Plasma Copeptin in Healthy Subjects The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism June 30, 2011
- ‘Ecstasy’ as a social drug: MDMA preferentially affects responses to emotional stimuli with social content Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience March 27, 2014
- Neural correlates of MDMA (“Ecstasy”)-induced social interaction in rats Social Neuroscience June 21, 2008
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