Effects of cocaine and MDMA self-administration on serotonin transporter availability in monkeys.
Matthew L Banks, Paul W Czoty, H Donald Gage, Michael C Bounds, Pradeep K Garg, Sudha Garg, Michael A Nader
Neuropsychopharmacology January 2008 DOI: 10.1038/sj.npp.1301420 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational study using positron emission tomography in nonhuman primates Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Rhesus monkeys with a history of cocaine or MDMA self-administration and control monkeys |
| Interventions | Cocaine MDMA |
| Measures | [11C]DASB distribution volume ratios (DVRs) |
| Topics | MDMA Serotonin |
| Key findings | Monkeys with a history of MDMA self-administration showed no difference in SERT availability compared with controls in any region examined, whereas monkeys with a history of cocaine self-administration showed significantly higher SERT availability in the caudate nucleus and putamen. The authors suggest this higher SERT availability after cocaine may reduce serotonin's inhibitory tone on dopamine and may partly explain differences in abuse liability between cocaine and MDMA. |
Abstract
Although serotonin (5-HT) can interact with dopamine (DA) systems to modulate the subjective and reinforcing effects of psychostimulants such as cocaine and 3,4-methyldioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ecstasy), the long-term effects of exposure to psychostimulants on brain 5-HT systems are not well characterized. The present study assessed 5-HT transporter (SERT) availability using positron emission tomography (PET) in rhesus monkeys with the SERT-specific radioligand [(11)C]3-amino-4-(2-dimethylaminomethyl-phenylsulfanyl)-benzonitrile (DASB). SERT availability was assessed in regions of interest including the caudate nucleus, putamen, anterior cingulate cortex, and cerebellum. [(11)C]DASB distribution volume ratios (DVRs) were calculated using the cerebellum as the reference region. DVRs were calculated in control monkeys and in cocaine or MDMA self-administering monkeys approximately 24 h after the last self-administration (SA) session. SERT availability did not differ between monkeys with a history of MDMA SA and control monkeys in any region examined. In contrast, monkeys with a history of cocaine SA showed significantly higher levels of SERT availability in the caudate nucleus and putamen compared to control subjects. These results suggest that chronic SA of cocaine, but not MDMA, leads to alterations in serotonergic function in brain areas relevant to drug abuse. The higher level of SERT availability in cocaine-experienced monkeys may lead to a reduced inhibitory tone of 5-HT on the DA system, which may explain, in part, differences in the abuse liability between cocaine and MDMA.
Comparable studies
Other preclinical and animal studies on MDMA, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 13
- MDMA self‐administration in rats: acquisition, progressive ratio responding and serotonin transporter binding European Journal of Neuroscience November 16, 2007
- In Vivo Imaging of Cerebral Serotonin Transporter and Serotonin2A Receptor Binding in 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or “Ecstasy”) and Hallucinogen Users Archives of General Psychiatry June 6, 2011
- MDMA Self-Administration in Laboratory Animals: A Summary of the Literature and Proposal for Future Research Neuropsychobiology 2009
- Drug seeking in response to a priming injection of MDMA in rats: relationship to initial sensitivity to self-administered MDMA and dorsal striatal dopamine The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology March 25, 2010
- Profile of MDMA Self-Administration from a Large Cohort of Rats: MDMA Develops a Profile of Dependence with Extended Testing Journal of Drug and Alcohol Research 2012
and 8 more in the library
Cites 11
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- Positron emission tomographic evidence of toxic effect of MDMA (“Ecstasy”) on brain serotonin neurons in human beings The Lancet October 1, 1998
- A Voxel-Based PET Investigation of the Long-Term Effects of “Ecstasy” Consumption on Brain Serotonin Transporters American Journal of Psychiatry July 1, 2004
- The confounding problem of polydrug use in recreational ecstasy/MDMA users: a brief overview Journal of Psychopharmacology March 1, 2006
- Stereochemical effects of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and related amphetamine derivatives on inhibition of uptake of [3H]monoamines into synaptosomes from different regions of rat brain. Biochemical Pharmacology July 15, 1987
and 6 more in the library