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Sub-chronic nandrolone treatment modifies neurochemical and behavioral effects of amphetamine and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) in rats.

Sanna Kurling, Aino Kankaanpää, Timo Seppälä

Behavioural Brain Research May 16, 2008 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2007.12.021 (opens in new tab)

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Characteristics Experimental animal study Peer reviewed
Population Rats
Interventions Nandrolone Amphetamine MDMA
Dose Nandrolone 5 x 5 or 5 x 20 mg/kg; amphetamine 1 mg/kg; MDMA 5 mg/kg
Duration Sub-chronic nandrolone treatment (5 injections)
Topics MDMA
Key findings Sub-chronic nandrolone pre-exposure dose-dependently attenuated the amphetamine- and MDMA-evoked increase in extracellular dopamine in the nucleus accumbens, with behavioral effects paralleling the dopamine changes. Nandrolone's lower dose reduced MDMA-induced serotonin increases, while the higher dose enhanced them. The authors conclude that anabolic-androgenic steroid pre-treatment can modulate reward-related neurochemical and behavioral effects of amphetamine and MDMA.

Abstract

Misuse of anabolic-androgenic steroids (AASs) is increasing, and appears to have much in common with the use of substances known to induce drug dependence. Moreover, persons who abuse AASs also tend to abuse other psychotropic drugs such as amphetamine or 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, "ecstasy"). The aim of this study was to investigate whether nandrolone (5 x 5 or 5 x 20 mg/kg) pre-exposure modulates the acute neurochemical and behavioral effects of amphetamine (1mg/kg) and MDMA (5 mg/kg) in rats. Dopamine (DA), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and their metabolites were measured from samples collected from the nucleus accumbens (NAc) by in vivo microdialysis. The behavior of the animals was recorded on videotapes, from which it was later rated. Our results demonstrate that sub-chronic treatments with supraphysiological doses of nandrolone attenuate dose-dependently the increase in extracellular DA concentration evoked by amphetamine or MDMA. The lower dose of nandrolone attenuated MDMA-induced increase in 5-HT-levels, while the higher dose potentiated it. Analysis of the behavioral data suggests that effects of the amphetamine and MDMA are dose-dependently attenuated by AAS-treatment, paralleling DA results. In conclusion, the results of this study show that AAS-pre-treatment is able to modulate the reward-related neurochemical and behavioral effects of amphetamine and MDMA.

Comparable studies

Other preclinical and animal studies on MDMA, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
Neurotoxicity of the psychedelic amphetamine, methylenedioxymethamphetamine. Rats (implied by typical neurochemical study context) 1987 Experimental study
3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine and 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine destroy serotonin terminals in rat brain: quantification of neurodegeneration by measurement of [3H]paroxetine-labeled serotonin uptake sites. Rat brain 1987 Animal experiment
Comparison of the monoamine transporters from human and mouse in their sensitivities to psychostimulant drugs Human and mouse dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin transporters expressed in cells 2006 In vitro laboratory study
Small Changes in Ambient Temperature Cause Large Changes in 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-Induced Serotonin Neurotoxicity and Core Body Temperature in the Rat Rats 1998 Experimental study
Altered Serotonin Innervation Patterns in the Forebrain of Monkeys Treated with (±)3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine Seven Years Previously: Factors Influencing Abnormal Recovery Squirrel monkeys treated with MDMA 1999 Observational cohort

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