BioMed Research International
2014
Georg F. Weber, Bethann N. Johnson, Bryan K. Yamamoto et al.
19 citations
MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) is a substituted amphetamine and popular drug of abuse. Its mood-enhancing short-term effects may prompt its consumption under stress. Clinical studies indicate that MDMA treatment may mitigate the symptoms of stress disorders such as posttraumatic stress syndrome (PTSD). On the other hand, repeated administration of MDMA results in persistent deficits...
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
2014
A. C. Parrott
60 citations
MDMA has properties that may make it attractive for psychotherapy, although many of its effects are potentially problematic. These contrasting effects will be critically reviewed in order to assess whether MDMA could be safe for clinical usage. Early studies from the 1980s noted that MDMA was an entactogen, engendering feelings of love and warmth. However, negative experiences can also occur...
Substance Abuse and Rehabilitation
November 1, 2013
Jerry Meyer
93 citations
Ecstasy is a widely used recreational drug that usually consists primarily of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). Most ecstasy users consume other substances as well, which complicates the interpretation of research in this field. The positively rated effects of MDMA consumption include euphoria, arousal, enhanced mood, increased sociability, and heightened perceptions; some common...
Drug Metabolism and Disposition
October 19, 2013
Marta Concheiro, Michael H. Baumann, Karl B. Scheidweiler et al.
32 citations
3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is a widely abused illicit drug that can cause severe and even fatal adverse effects. However, interest remains for its possible clinical applications in posttraumatic stress disorder and anxiety treatment. Preclinical studies to determine MDMA's safety are needed. We evaluated MDMA's pharmacokinetics and metabolism in male rats receiving 2.5, 5, and 10...
Drug Testing and Analysis
September 20, 2013
Tomás Herraiz, Simon D. Brandt
25 citations
5-(2-Aminopropyl)indole (5-IT) is a psychoactive compound that has recently been associated with several fatal and non-fatal intoxications in a number of European countries. There are indications that acute effects may include symptoms of monoaminergic (e.g. serotonin) toxicity and one mechanism involved in the increase of serotonin levels includes the inhibition of monoamine oxidase. This...
Developmental Psychobiology
June 15, 2013
Jennifer L. Cobuzzi, Kayla Siletti, Zachary E. Hurwitz et al.
15 citations
Preclinical work indicates that adolescent rats appear more sensitive to the rewarding effects and less sensitive to the aversive effects of abused drugs. The present investigation utilized the conditioned taste aversion (CTA) design to measure the relative aversive effects of (±)3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA; 0, 1.0, 1.8, or 3.2 mg/kg) in adolescent and adult Sprague-Dawley rats....
The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology
June 10, 2013
José L. Moreno, Javier González-Maeso
30 citations
Abstract One of the main obstacles faced by translational neuroscience is the development of animal models of psychiatric disorders. Behavioural pharmacology studies indicate that psychedelic drugs, such as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and dissociative drugs, such as phencyclidine (PCP), induce in healthy human volunteers psychotic and cognitive symptoms that resemble some of those observed...
Frontiers in Psychology
2013
David Luke, Devin B. Terhune
81 citations
Despite the general consensus that synaesthesia emerges at an early developmental stage and is only rarely acquired during adulthood, the transient induction of synaesthesia with chemical agents has been frequently reported in research on different psychoactive substances. Nevertheless, these effects remain poorly understood and have not been systematically incorporated. Here we review the...
European Journal of Pharmacology
November 21, 2012
Nicholas V. Cozzi, Simon D. Brandt, Paul F. Daley et al.
Cathinones are a class of drugs used to treat various medical conditions including depression, obesity, substance abuse, and muscle spasms. Some "designer" cathinones, such as methcathinone, mephedrone, and methylone, are used nonclinically for their stimulant or entactogenic properties. Given the recent rise in nonmedical use of designer cathinones, we aimed to improve understanding of...
Journal of Neuroimmune Pharmacology
November 17, 2012
John H. Anneken, Jacobi I. Cunningham, Stuart A. Collins et al.
52 citations
3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA; Ecstasy) is a popular drug of abuse with well-documented acute effects on serotonergic, dopaminergic, and cholinergic transmitter systems, as well as evidence of long-term disruption of serotoninergic systems in the rat brain. Recently, it was demonstrated that MDMA evokes a delayed and sustained increase in glutamate release in the hippocampus. The...