The effect of MDMA-induced anxiety on neuronal apoptosis in adult male rats' hippocampus.
S Karimi, M Jahanshahi, M J Golalipour
Folia biologica 2014 DOI: 10.14712/fb2014060040187 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 42 |
| Population | Male Wistar rats weighing 200-220 g |
| Interventions | MDMA saline |
| Dose | 1.25, 2.5, 5, 10 mg/kg; saline 1 ml/kg |
| Duration | 7 days of injection; behavioral testing after; brains taken 48 hours after behavioral testing |
| Measures | plus-maze test, TUNEL kit |
| Topics | Anxiety MDMA |
| Key findings | Low doses of MDMA (1.25 and 2.5 mg/kg) produced anti-anxiety behavior in rats, while higher doses (5 and 10 mg/kg) produced anxiety-like behavior. MDMA increased apoptotic cell numbers in the hippocampus, with the greatest increase at 10 mg/kg. The authors argue that dose-dependent anxiety responses correspond to differing rates of hippocampal apoptosis, and that the anxiety-reducing 2.5 mg/kg dose can control apoptosis. |
Abstract
Ecstasy or MDMA as a psychoactive drug and hallucinogen is considered one of the most commonly used drugs in the world. This psychotropic substance is discussed both as sexually stimulating and reducing fear and anxiety. Amphetamines also destroy neurons in some brain areas. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of MDMA on anxiety and apoptosis of hippocampal neurons. Forty-two male Wistar rats of mean weight 200-220 g were used and distributed into six groups [control, control-saline, and experimental groups (1.25, 2.5, 5, 10 mg/kg)]. Rats in experimental groups received MDMA at different doses for seven days by intraperitoneal injection and the control-saline group received saline (1 ml/kg); anxiety was then investigated by plus-maze test. Forty-eight hours after behavioural testing brains were taken from animals and fixed, and after tissue processing, slices were stained with TUNEL kit for apoptotic cells. The area densities of apoptotic neurons were measured throughout the hippocampus and compared in all groups (P < 0.05). Physiological studies showed that 1.25 mg/kg and 2.5 mg/kg doses caused anti-anxiety behaviour and 5 and 10 mg/kg doses of MDMA caused anxietylike behaviour. Moreover, our histological study showed that ecstasy increased apoptotic cell numbers and the highest increase was observed with the 10 mg/kg dose of MDMA. We concluded that MDMA can cause different responses of anxiety-like behaviour in different doses. This phenomenon causes a different ratio of apoptosis in hippocampal formation. Reduction of anxiety-like behaviour induced by the 2.5 mg/kg dose of MDMA can control apoptosis.
Comparable studies
Other preclinical and animal studies on MDMA for anxiety, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine facilitates fear extinction learning Mice | 2015 | Preclinical experimental study | |
| Effects of acute social stress on the conditioned place preference induced by MDMA in adolescent and adult mice Adolescent (postnatal day 29-40) and adult (postnatal day 50-61) male mice | 2014 | Experimental study | |
| MDMA in Adolescent Male Rats Adolescent male rats (postnatal day 45) | 2006 | Controlled experiment | n = 12 |
| Psychedelics: A review of their effects on recalled aversive memories and fear/anxiety expression in rodents Rodents | 2024 | Review | |
| Differential behavioral outcomes of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA-ecstasy) in anxiety-like responses in mice 2-month-old Balb/c male mice (25-35 g) | 2013 | Observational study | n = 70 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 3
- Psychedelics: A review of their effects on recalled aversive memories and fear/anxiety expression in rodents Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews September 20, 2024
- MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine) Drug Addiction Mechanisms in the Brain April 8, 2024
- A repeated low-dose regimen of MDMA has transient next-day effects on locomotor activity, anxiety-like behavior, and brain serotonin levels, with no effect on anhedonia-like behavior, in both female and male rats Psychopharmacology March 4, 2026
Cites 6
- Enzymatic–nonenzymatic cellular antioxidant defense systems response and immunohistochemical detection of MDMA, VMAT2, HSP70, and apoptosis as biomarkers for MDMA (Ecstasy) neurotoxicity Journal of Neuroscience Research October 1, 2009
- Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms of Ecstasy-Induced Neurotoxicity: An Overview Molecular Neurobiology June 1, 2009
- No effect of MDMA (ecstasy) on cell death and 5-HT2A receptor density in organotypic rat hippocampal cultures. Neuroscience Letters May 13, 2004
- Neurotoxicity of amphetamine derivatives is mediated by caspase pathway activation in rat cerebellar granule cells. Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology April 15, 2004
- The pharmacology and clinical pharmacology of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, "ecstasy"). Pharmacological Reviews September 2003
and 1 more in the library