Microinjection of muscimol into the dorsomedial hypothalamus suppresses MDMA-evoked sympathetic and behavioral responses.
Daniel E. Rusyniak, Maria V Zaretskaia, Dmitry V Zaretsky, Joseph A Dimicco
Brain Research August 21, 2008 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2008.06.011 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Conscious rats |
| Interventions | MDMA Muscimol Artificial CSF |
| Duration | 120 min |
| Topics | MDMA |
| Key findings | Microinjecting muscimol into the dorsomedial hypothalamus before MDMA prevented increases in core temperature and locomotion and attenuated increases in heart rate and mean arterial pressure, indicating that neuronal activity in this region is necessary for MDMA-evoked sympathetic and behavioral responses. |
Abstract
When given systemically to rats and humans, the drug of abuse 3,4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine (ecstasy, MDMA) elicits hyperthermia, hyperactivity, tachycardia, and hypertension. Chemically stimulating the dorsomedial hypothalamus (DMH), a brain region known to be involved in thermoregulation and in stress responses, causes similar effects. We therefore tested the hypothesis that neuronal activity in the DMH plays a role in MDMA-evoked sympathetic and behavioral responses by microinjecting artificial CSF or muscimol, a neuronal inhibitor, into the DMH prior to intravenous infusion of saline or MDMA in conscious rats. Core temperature, heart rate, mean arterial pressure and locomotor activity were recorded by telemetry every minute for 120 min. In rats previously microinjected with CSF, MDMA elicited significant increases from baseline in core temperature (+1.3+/-0.3 degrees C), locomotion (+50+/-6 counts/min), heart rate (+142+/-16 beats/min), and mean arterial pressure (+26+/-3 mmHg). Microinjecting muscimol into the DMH prior to MDMA prevented increases in core temperature and locomotion and attenuated increases in heart rate and mean arterial pressure. These results indicate that neuronal activity in the DMH is necessary for the sympathetic and behavioral responses evoked by MDMA.
Comparable studies
Other preclinical and animal studies on MDMA, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 3
- Treadmill running restores MDMA-mediated hyperthermia prevented by inhibition of the dorsomedial hypothalamus. Brain Research May 22, 2015
- Looking for prosocial genes: ITRAQ analysis of proteins involved in MDMA-induced sociability in mice. European Neuropsychopharmacology November 2014
- Independent of 5-HT1A receptors, neurons in the paraventricular hypothalamus mediate ACTH responses from MDMA. Neuroscience Letters October 25, 2013
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and 7 more in the library