British Journal of Pharmacology
December 30, 2010
Susan Schenk, David Gittings, Joyce Colussi‐mas
61 citations
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Animal models of drug‐seeking suggest that exposure to cues associated with self‐administered drugs and drug primes might precipitate relapse via activation of central dopaminergic substrates. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH The effects of priming injections of dopamine and 5‐HT agonists on drug‐seeking and effects of dopamine antagonists on methylenedioxymethamphetamine...
Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews
December 22, 2010
MDMA ("ecstasy") abuse as an example of dopamine neuroplasticity.
Biological Psychiatry
December 1, 2010
Is ecstasy an empathogen?
European Neuropsychopharmacology
December 2010
Allison A. Feduccia, Nundhun Kongovi, Christine L. Duvauchelle
There is a concern that hot environments enhance adverse effects of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or "Ecstasy"). In this study, long-term (4-weeks) daily MDMA self-administration sessions and an MDMA Challenge test were conducted with rats under normal and high thermal conditions (23° or 32°C). During MDMA self-administration sessions, activity and body temperature were increased by...
International Journal of Molecular Sciences
November 26, 2010
3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine alters left ventricular function and activates nuclear factor-Kappa B (NF-κB) in a time and dose dependent manner.
Neurochemistry International
November 11, 2010
Comparative neurochemical profile of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine and its metabolite alpha-methyldopamine on key targets of MDMA neurotoxicity.
Addiction Biology
November 11, 2010
Jillian H. Broadbear, Brendan J. Tunstall, Katherine Beringer
38 citations
ABSTRACT 3,4‐Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ‘ecstasy’) use results in distinctive mood changes of a prosocial nature, most likely through its enhancement of serotonin (5HT) neurotransmission. Activation of 5HT‐1A postsynaptic receptors has been shown to stimulate the release of oxytocin in the central nervous system where it regulates aspects of mood and behavior. Using a drug...
Advances in Consciousness Research
October 28, 2010
Andrew C. Parrott
The willingness of humans to take psychoactive drugs may reflect an unconscious optimism bias, where users focus on desired aims rather than actual consequences. A series of in-depth interviews will illustrate the experiences and explicit knowledge of recreational Ecstasy/MDMA users. Next an unpublished empirical study will be described, where four subgroups of Ecstasy users reported that MDMA...
Neuropsychobiology
October 20, 2010
Andrew Scholey, Lauren Owen, J. R. Gates et al.
46 citations
<i>Aims:</i> Our group has conducted several Internet investigations into the biobehavioural effects of self-reported recreational use of MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine or Ecstasy) and other psychosocial drugs. Here we report a new study examining the relationship between self-reported Ecstasy use and traces of MDMA found in hair samples. <i>Methods:</i> In a laboratory setting, 49...
European Journal of Pharmacology
October 14, 2010
A role for adenosine A(1) receptor blockade in the ability of caffeine to promote MDMA "Ecstasy"-induced striatal dopamine release.
Biological Psychiatry
October 14, 2010
Is ecstasy an "empathogen"? Effects of ±3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine on prosocial feelings and identification of emotional states in others.
The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology
October 14, 2010
María Juliana Orejarena, Laurence Lanfumey, Rafaël Maldonado et al.
38 citations
The serotonergic system appears crucial for (±)-3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) reinforcing properties. Current evidence indicates that serotonin 5-HT2A receptors (5-HT2ARs) modulate mesolimbic dopamine (DA) activity and several behavioural responses related to the addictive properties of psychostimulants. This study evaluated the role of 5-HT2ARs in MDMA-induced reinforcement and...
Synapse
October 8, 2010
Charles V. Vorhees, Elizabeth He, Matthew R. Skelton et al.
(+)‐Methamphetamine (MA), (±)‐3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), (+)‐amphetamine (AMPH), and (±)‐fenfluramine (FEN) are phenylethylamines with CNS effects. At higher doses, each induces protracted reductions in brain dopamine (DA) and/or serotonin. Chronic MA and MDMA users show persistent monoamine reductions and cognitive impairments. In rats, similar neurochemical effects can be...
Psychiatric News
October 1, 2010
Aaron R. Levin
Ecstasy might take some of the agony out of psychotherapy for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), if findings from a phase 2 pilot study are any indication. Outcomes of the small, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial indicated that MDMA, better known by its street name of ecstasy, may be useful as an adjunct to psychotherapy for patients with chronic, treatment-resistant PTSD....
Behavioral Neuroscience
October 1, 2010
David Quinteros-Muñoz, Patricio Sáez-briones, Gabriela Díaz-véliz et al.
12 citations
3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA; "ecstasy") is a psychoactive drug structurally related to other phenylisopropylamines acting as stimulants or hallucinogens in humans. Although MDMA has a pharmacological identity of its own, the distinction of its acute effects from those of stimulants or even hallucinogens is controversial. In this work, dose-response curves (0.25, 0.5, 1, 3, 5, and 10...
Addiction Biology
October 1, 2010
Vicente Hernández‐rabaza, Graciela Navarro‐mora, Clara Velázquez-sánchez et al.
40 citations
ABSTRACT Recent trend assessments of drug consumption reveal an increase in the simultaneous use of several drugs at raves, clubs and college settings among youngsters and young adults. We studied in adolescent rats the effects of repeated exposure to cocaine and 3,4‐methylenedioxymethanphetamine (MDMA, ecstasy), given alone or in combination with alcohol, on memory performance, adult...
Brain Research
September 26, 2010
Acute MDMA administration alters the distribution and circadian rhythm of wheel running activity in the rat.
Neuroscience
September 25, 2010
Electrophysiological and structural alterations in striatum associated with behavioral sensitization to (±)3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (Ecstasy) in rats: role of drug context.
Journal of Psychopharmacology
September 8, 2010
Tibor M Brunt, Anneke Poortman, Raymond J.m. Niesink et al.
217 citations
Recently, several reports have indicated instability of the ecstasy market in the Netherlands and other EU countries. In the current study, we demonstrate this instability in the Netherlands, showing a decrease of ecstasy tablets containing 3,4-methylenedioxymetamphetamine (MDMA) by more than 50% in 2009. In addition, we describe a partial replacement of MDMA in tablets sold as ecstasy by a...
Journal of Psychopharmacology
September 3, 2010
Gjh Dumont, J. G. Coen van Hasselt, M. de Kam et al.
38 citations
In Western societies a considerable percentage of young people expose themselves to the combination of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or ‘ecstasy’) and cannabis. The aim of the present study was to assess the acute effects of co-administration of MDMA and THC (the main psychoactive compound of cannabis) on pharmacokinetics, psychomotor performance, memory and subjective experience over...