Drug and Alcohol Dependence
June 1, 2015
Shawn. M. Aarde, Michelle L Miller, Kevin M Creehan et al.
Exercise influences drug craving and consumption in humans and drug self-administration in laboratory animals, but the effects can be variable. Improved understanding of how exercise affects drug intake or craving would enhance applications of exercise programs to human drug users attempting cessation. Rats were trained in the intravenous self-administration (IVSA) of D-methamphetamine (METH;...
Brain Research
May 22, 2015
Dmitry V Zaretsky, Maria V Zaretskaia, Pamela J Durant et al.
The contribution of exercise to hyperthermia mediated by MDMA is not known. We recently showed that inhibiting the dorsomedial hypothalamus (DMH) attenuated spontaneous locomotion and hyperthermia and prevented deaths in rats given MDMA in a warm environment. The goal of this study was to confirm that restoring locomotion through a treadmill would reverse these effects thereby confirming that...
Journal of Psychopharmacology
May 18, 2015
Sunjeev K. Kamboj, Emma J. Kilford, Stephanie Minchin et al.
43 citations
3,4-methylenedioxy- N-methylamphetamine (MDMA) produces diverse pro-social effects. Cognitive training methods rooted in Eastern contemplative practices also produce these effects through the development of a compassionate mindset. Given this similarity, we propose that one potential mechanism of action of MDMA in psychotherapy is through enhancing effects on intrapersonal attitudes (i.e....
Behavioural Pharmacology
May 14, 2015
María Pilar García-pardo, Carla Escobar-Valero, Marta Rodrı́guez-arias et al.
29 citations
Some 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) users become dependent as a result of chronic consumption. A greater understanding of the neurobiological basis of the rewarding effects of MDMA could contribute to developing effective pharmacotherapies for MDMA-related problems. The present study evaluated the role of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) glutamate receptors (NMDARs) in the acquisition and...
Psychopharmacology
May 2015
C A Roberts, C Montgomery
Ecstasy use is associated with cognitive impairment, believed to result from damage to 5-HT axons. Neuroimaging techniques to investigate executive dysfunction in ecstasy users provide a more sensitive measure of cognitive impairment than behavioural indicators. The present study assessed executive access to semantic memory in ecstasy polydrug users and non-users. Twenty ecstasy polydrug users...
Journal of Psychopharmacology
April 29, 2015
Matthew J. Baggott, Matthew G. Kirkpatrick, Gillinder Bedi et al.
69 citations
Rationale: ±3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is widely believed to increase sociability. The drug alters speech production and fluency, and may influence speech content. Here, we investigated the effect of MDMA on speech content, which may reveal how this drug affects social interactions. Method: Thirty-five healthy volunteers with prior MDMA experience completed this two-session,...
Time and Mind
April 3, 2015
Caroline Tully, Sam Crooks
20 citations
Cult scenes illustrated in miniature on administrative stone seals and metal signet rings from Late Bronze Age Minoan Crete are commonly interpreted as “Epiphany Scenes” and have been called “shamanic”. “Universal shamanism” is a catch-all anthropological term coined to describe certain inferred ritual behaviors across widely dispersed cultures and through time. This study re-examines evidence...
The FASEB Journal
April 1, 2015
Brenda M. Gannon, Julia Tobacyk, William E Fantegrossi
Recently, there has been an increase in abuse of new synthetic psychostimulant drugs derived from the cathinone structure. These products are typically referred to as “bath salts”, and one of the most common psychoactive constituents of these preparations is 3,4‐methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV). In these studies, we used the conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm to explore the apparent...
Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
April 2015
Yasmin Schmid, Anna Rickli, Antonia Schaffner et al.
3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA; "ecstasy") is a popular recreational drug. The aim of the present study was to explore the role of dopamine in the psychotropic effects of MDMA using bupropion to inhibit the dopamine and norepinephrine transporters through which MDMA releases dopamine and norepinephrine by investigating. The pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic interactions between...
Drug Science, Policy and Law
March 24, 2015
Ben Sessa, Friederike Meckel Fischer
39 citations
Underground psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy has persisted in Europe despite the banning of the substances LSD and MDMA in the 1960s and 1980s, respectively. This article describes the work of a Zurich-based psychotherapist providing individual and group psycholytic psychotherapy, whose practice persisted for several years before she was arrested in 2009. The article provides commentary on...