Developmental effects of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine: a review.
Matthew R. Skelton, Michael T. Williams, Charles V. Vorhees
Behavioural Pharmacology March 2008 DOI: 10.1097/fbp.0b013e3282f62c76 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Developing animals (offspring exposed to MDMA during development), with reference to human users and fetuses |
| Intervention | MDMA |
| Measures | Morris water maze |
| Topics | MDMA |
| Key findings | The authors conclude that developmental MDMA exposure has adverse effects on the developing brain and behavior, including learning and memory impairments in the Morris water maze, adult hypoactivity, reduced pup weight, and altered serotonin, corticosterone, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels. They propose that increased serotonin 1A receptor sensitivity may underlie the learning and memory deficits and discuss public health implications. |
Abstract
+/-3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is a chemical derivative of amphetamine that has become a popular drug of abuse and has been shown to deplete serotonin in the brains of users and animals exposed to it. To date, most studies have investigated the effects of MDMA on adult animals. With a majority of users of MDMA being young adults, the chances of the users becoming pregnant and exposing the fetuses to MDMA are also a concern. Evidence to date has shown that developmental exposure to MDMA results in learning and memory impairments in the Morris water maze, a task known to be sensitive to hippocampal disruption, when the animals are tested as adults. Developmental MDMA exposure leads to hypoactivity in the offspring as adults but does not affect outcome on tests of anxiety. MDMA administration decreases pup weight, increases corticosterone and brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels during treatment while decreasing brain levels of serotonin; a decrease that initially dissipates and then reappears in adulthood. Neonatal MDMA exposure increases the sensitivity of the serotonin 1A receptor, a possible mechanism underlying the learning and memory deficits seen. Taken together, the evidence shows that MDMA exposure has adverse effects on the developing brain and behavior. The animal and human data on developmental MDMA exposure are reviewed and their public health implications discussed.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on MDMA, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Human Pharmacology of MDMA | 2004 | Review | |
| Human psychopharmacology of Ecstasy (MDMA): a review of 15 years of empirical research | 2001 | Review | |
| 3,4‐Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, “Ecstasy”): pharmacology and toxicology in animals and humans | 1994 | Review | |
| (±)3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (‘Ecstasy’)-Induced Serotonin Neurotoxicity: Studies in Animals | 2000 | Review | |
| Amphetamine toxicities | 2010 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 22
- Neurobehavioral outcomes of infants exposed to MDMA (Ecstasy) and other recreational drugs during pregnancy Neurotoxicology and Teratology March 5, 2012
- One-Year Outcomes of Prenatal Exposure to MDMA and Other Recreational Drugs Pediatrics August 21, 2012
- Sex-Dependent Psychoneuroendocrine Effects of THC and MDMA in an Animal Model of Adolescent Drug Consumption PLoS One November 4, 2013
- (+/–)3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) Dose-Dependently Impairs Spatial Learning in the Morris Water Maze after Exposure of Rats to Different Five-Day Intervals from Birth to Postnatal Day Twenty Developmental Neuroscience 2009
- Comparison of the developmental effects of 5-methoxy-N,N-diisopropyltryptamine (Foxy) to (+/-)-3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (ecstasy) in rats. Psychopharmacology June 1, 2009
and 17 more in the library
Cites 46
- Amphetamine-type central nervous system stimulants release norepinephrine more potently than they release dopamine and serotonin Synapse 2000
- 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. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics September 1, 1987
- Human Pharmacology of MDMA Therapeutic Drug Monitoring March 19, 2004
- Memory impairment in abstinent MDMA ("Ecstasy") users Neurology December 1, 1998
- 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) neurotoxicity in rats: a reappraisal of past and present findings Psychopharmacology March 15, 2006
and 41 more in the library