Prenatal exposure to MDMA alters noradrenergic neurodevelopment in the rat.
Valerie B Thompson, James B. Koprich, E Y Chen, J H Kordower, Brian T Terpstra, Jack W Lipton
Neurotoxicology and Teratology 2012 DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2011.09.005 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Experimental animal study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Rat offspring prenatally exposed to MDMA or saline, assessed on postnatal day 21 |
| Intervention | MDMA |
| Duration | Prenatal exposure from embryonic days 14-20, assessed on postnatal day 21 |
| Measures | tritiated nisoxetine autoradiography for norepinephrine transporter binding |
| Topics | MDMA |
| Key findings | Prenatal MDMA exposure in rats increased noradrenergic fiber density in the prelimbic prefrontal cortex and hippocampal CA1, increased norepinephrine transporter binding in hippocampal CA1, CA2, and CA3, and raised basal norepinephrine in the prefrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens, without changing noradrenergic neuron numbers in the locus coeruleus. The authors indicate these structural and functional changes may relate to attentional processing. |
Abstract
3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA; ecstasy) binds with high affinity to the norepinephrine transporter (NET), making the noradrenergic system a potential target during fetal exposure. Recent data indicate that adult rats that had been prenatally exposed to MDMA display persistent deficits in working memory and attention; behaviors consistent with abnormal noradrenergic signaling in the forebrain. The present study was designed to investigate whether prenatal exposure to MDMA from embryonic days 14-20 affects the structure and/or function of the noradrenergic system of the rat on postnatal day 21. Offspring that were prenatally exposed to MDMA exhibited an increase in noradrenergic fiber density in the prelimbic region of the prefrontal cortex and the CA1 region of the hippocampus that was not accompanied by an increase in the number of noradrenergic neurons in the locus coeruleus. Direct tissue autoradiography using tritiated nisoxetine demonstrated that while NET binding was not altered in the prelimbic cortex, the dentate gyrus, or the locus coeruleus, it was increased in the CA1, CA2, and CA3 regions of the hippocampus. Basal levels of norepinephrine were increased in the prefrontal cortex and the nucleus accumbens of MDMA-exposed rats, as compared to saline-treated controls. These findings indicate that prenatal exposure to MDMA results in structural changes in the noradrenergic system as well as functional alterations in NE neurotransmission in structures that are critical in attentional processing.
Comparable studies
Other preclinical and animal studies on MDMA, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 5
- One-Year Outcomes of Prenatal Exposure to MDMA and Other Recreational Drugs Pediatrics August 21, 2012
- Effects of psychedelics on neurogenesis and broader neuroplasticity: a systematic review. Mol Med December 19, 2024
- Effects of psychedelics on neurogenesis and brain plasticity: A systematic review bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) July 20, 2023
- Differential effects of MDMA and cocaine on inhibitory avoidance and object recognition tests in rodents. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory December 2017
- Prenatal Exposure to Alcohol and 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (Ecstasy) Alters Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis and Causes Enduring Memory Deficits Developmental Neuroscience 2014
Cites 5
- 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (Ecstasy)-Induced Learning and Memory Impairments Depend on the Age of Exposure during Early Development Journal of Neuroscience May 1, 2001
- Developmental 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) impairs sequential and spatial but not cued learning independent of growth, litter effects or injection stress Brain Research March 25, 2003
- Long-term behavioral consequences of prenatal MDMA exposure. Physiology & Behavior March 23, 2009
- 3,4-Methylenedioxy-N-methamphetamine (ecstasy) promotes the survival of fetal dopamine neurons in culture. Neuropharmacology October 2008
- Serotonergic modulation of rat pup ultrasonic vocal development: studies with 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics July 1, 1990