Morphological effects in the mouse myocardium after methylenedioxymethamphetamine administration combined with loud noise exposure.
Marco Gesi, Paola Lenzi, Paola Soldani, Michela Ferrucci, Alberto Giusiani, Francesco Fornai, Antonio Paparelli
The Anatomical record May 1, 2002 DOI: 10.1002/ar.10084 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Controlled animal experiment Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Mice |
| Interventions | MDMA loud noise exposure |
| Topics | MDMA |
| Key findings | Concomitant loud noise exposure dramatically enhanced MDMA-induced myocardial ultrastructural alterations in mice, lowering the threshold dose of MDMA required to produce damage and increasing damage at a higher MDMA dose. The authors argue this interaction may contribute to early cardiac toxicity in humans who use ecstasy in loud environments. |
Abstract
Early toxicity occurring during or immediately after 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, or "ecstasy") administration has not been investigated in detail, although in humans it is responsible for marked side effects, and even death. Acute toxicity induced by MDMA produces rhabdomyolysis involving the myocardium (myocytolysis). Cardiac symptoms, such as tachycardia, hypertension, and arrhythmia, are present to a variable extent in humans abusing ecstasy. In most cases, this substance is abused in the presence of loud noise, which may affect the myocardium. Despite the frequency of the concomitant exposure to ecstasy and loud noise, and the similarities between the early side effects of these two agents, to our knowledge no study has investigated the role of loud noise in modulating MDMA toxicity. Therefore, in the present study, we evaluated whether cardiac effects of MDMA administration following a typical "binging" pattern are enhanced by concomitant exposure to loud noise. We selected low doses of MDMA in order to avoid gross morphological alterations, or lesions detectable under light microscopy. The myocardial alterations observed were visible only at the ultrastructural level. We found a dramatic enhancement of alterations in the mouse heart upon MDMA administration during loud noise exposure. Remarkably, this enhancement was evident both as a decrease in the threshold dose of MDMA necessary to alter the myocardial ultrastructure, and as an increase in myocardial alterations produced by a higher dose of MDMA.
Comparable studies
Other preclinical and animal studies on MDMA, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 4
- Metabolism Is Required for the Expression of Ecstasy-Induced Cardiotoxicity in Vitro Chemical Research in Toxicology April 27, 2004
- Of mice and men on MDMA: a translational comparison of the neuropsychobiological effects of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine ('Ecstasy'). Brain Research November 14, 2019
- MDMA (ecstasy) enhances loud noise-induced morphofunctional alterations in heart and adrenal gland. Microscopy research and technique September 2011
- Loud noise enhances nigrostriatal dopamine toxicity induced by MDMA in mice. Microscopy research and technique July 1, 2004
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and 12 more in the library