Multiple molecular and neuropharmacological effects of MDMA (Ecstasy).
Life Sciences January 2, 2004 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2003.08.002 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | MDMA |
| Key findings | The authors argue that MDMA alters the expression of several proteins involved in GABA neurotransmission, which they contend has a critical effect on thermoregulation and acute MDMA toxicity. They also report that mice treated with MDMA showed changed expression of 11 cDNAs, four known and seven unknown, with detailed study of GABA transporter 1 and synaptotagmin IV. |
Abstract
3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), commonly referred to as Ecstasy, is a widely abused, psychoactive recreational drug, which induces short- and long-term neuropsychiatric behaviors. This drug is neurotoxic to serotonergic neurons in vivo, and induces programmed cell death in cultured human serotonergic cells and rat neocortical neurons. Over the years it has been shown that MDMA alters the release of several neurotransmitters in the brain, it induces recompartmentation of intracellular serotonin and c-fos, and modifies the expression of a few genes. Recently, we observed changes in gene expression in mice treated with MDMA, and cloned and sequenced 11 cDNAs thus affected (4 correspond to known and 7 to unknown genes). The effect of MDMA on two of these genes, GABA transporter 1 and synaptotagmin IV was studied in detail. Characterization of the relationship between a given gene and certain physiological or behavioral effects of MDMA could shed light on the mechanism of the drug's action. However, establishing such a connection is difficult for several reasons, including that serotonergic neurons are not the only cells affected by MDMA. In this review, molecular and neurochemical events that occur in the brain following exposure to MDMA, and link between the observed molecular changes with known physiological effects of the drug are discussed. It is indicated that MDMA alters the expression of several proteins involved in GABA neurotransmission, thus having critical effect on thermoregulation and MDMA acute toxicity. This analysis should facilitate development of novel approaches to prevent deleterious effects, especially mortality induced by MDMA and other abused psychostimulants.
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 16
- Human psychobiology of MDMA or ‘Ecstasy’: an overview of 25 years of empirical research Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental July 1, 2013
- MDMA (3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine) Analogues as Tools to Characterize MDMA-Like Effects: An Approach to Understand Entactogen Pharmacology Current Neuropharmacology August 1, 2013
- Influence of PCPA and MDMA (ecstasy) on physiology, development and behavior in Drosophila melanogaster European Journal of Neuroscience July 1, 2007
- Relation of sex and estrous phase to deficits in prepulse inhibition of the startle response induced by ecstasy (MDMA) Behavioural Pharmacology March 1, 2005
- Pharmacological aspects of the combined use of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ecstasy) and gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB): a review of the literature Drug and Alcohol Review July 1, 2005
and 11 more in the library
Cites 32
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- Neurotoxicity of the psychedelic amphetamine, methylenedioxymethamphetamine. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics 1987
- Memory impairment in abstinent MDMA ("Ecstasy") users Neurology December 1, 1998
- Hallucinogenic Amphetamine Selectively Destroys Brain Serotonin Nerve Terminals Science September 6, 1985
and 27 more in the library