Alterations in diurnal and nocturnal locomotor activity in rats treated with a monoamine-depleting regimen of methamphetamine or 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine.
Tanya L. Wallace, Gary A. Gudelsky, Charles V. Vorhees
Psychopharmacology January 2001 DOI: 10.1007/s002130000578 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Controlled experimental animal study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Rats treated with vehicle, methamphetamine, or MDMA |
| Interventions | Methamphetamine MDMA |
| Dose | 10 mg/kg, IP, every 2 h for four injections on a single day |
| Duration | Single-day treatment; locomotor activity monitored for 7 day/night cycles beginning one week after treatment |
| Topics | MDMA |
| Key findings | A monoamine-depleting regimen of methamphetamine or MDMA in rats produced lasting changes in light-cycle-dependent locomotor activity: methamphetamine reduced only diurnal activity, MDMA reduced both diurnal and nocturnal activity, and methamphetamine-treated rats showed a larger day-night activity difference than vehicle- or MDMA-treated rats. The authors suggest these effects may relate to striatal dopamine and serotonin depletion, though the specific contribution of each neurotransmitter remains unknown. |
Abstract
The long-term neurochemical effects produced by the repeated administration of methamphetamine (MA) and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) are well documented; however, the functional consequences have not been clearly defined. The present study was designed to investigate whether rats treated with a monoamine-depleting regimen of MA or MDMA exhibit disturbances in locomotor activity during the diurnal and nocturnal cycles. Rats were treated with the vehicle or a monoamine-depleting regimen of MA or MDMA (10 mg/kg, IP, every 2 h for four injections on a single day). One week after drug treatment, the rats were placed in residential activity chambers and their locomotor activity was monitored for the next 7-day/night cycles. MA-treated rats exhibited depletions of striatal dopamine and serotonin content of approximately 70%, whereas MDMA-treated rats showed depletions of striatal serotonin content of approximately 50%. Rats treated with MA demonstrated a significant reduction in diurnal, but not nocturnal, locomotor activity, whereas MDMA-treated rats exhibited significant reductions in both diurnal and nocturnal locomotor activity. Analysis of the difference in activity between the nocturnal and diurnal cycles revealed that MA-treated animals exhibited a significantly greater change in activity as compared to that observed in vehicle- and MDMA-treated rats. Although it is unknown whether the adaptations in locomotor activity observed in MA- and MDMA-treated rats are due to the loss of dopamine and/or serotonin, these data suggest that the administration of a monoamine-depleting regimen of MA or MDMA results in alterations in light-cycle-dependent locomotor activity.
Comparable studies
Other preclinical and animal studies on MDMA, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 8
- Effects of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine administration on retinal physiology in the rat. PLoS One June 14, 2016
- Comparison of (+)-methamphetamine, ±}-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), (+)-amphetamine and ±}-fenfluramine in rats on egocentric learning in the Cincinnati water maze Synapse October 8, 2010
- Acute MDMA administration alters the distribution and circadian rhythm of wheel running activity in the rat. Brain Research September 26, 2010
- Dissociation of the neurochemical and behavioral toxicology of MDMA ('Ecstasy') by citalopram. Neuropsychopharmacology April 2008
- Developmental effects of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine: a review. Behavioural Pharmacology March 2008
and 3 more in the library
Cites 5
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