Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior
January 2012
John J Panos, Lisa E Baker
Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA; "Ecstasy") is commonly abused by humans in environments such as nightclubs and rave parties where other drugs of abuse are readily available. Despite the popularity of polysubstance abuse among recreational MDMA users, relatively few controlled experimental studies have documented the neurobehavioral effects of MDMA in combination with other abused...
Consciousness and Cognition
December 2011
Daniel Collerton, Elaine K. Perry
Comparing the phenomenology, neurochemical pathology, and psychopharmacology of hallucinations and dreaming is limited by the available data. Evidence to date reveals no simple correspondence between the two states. Differences in the phenomenology of visual hallucinations and the visual component of dreams may reflect variations in visual context acting on the same underlying mechanism - the...
Neurotoxicology
December 2011
Laura Hondebrink, Jan Meulenbelt, Regina G D M Van Kleef et al.
Drugs of abuse are known to mainly affect the dopaminergic and serotonergic system, although behavioral studies indicated that the GABA-ergic system also plays a role. We therefore investigated the acute effects of several commonly used drugs of abuse (methamphetamine, amphetamine, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA) and meta-chlorophenylpiperazine...
Neuropharmacology
December 2011
Erica Y Shen, Syed F. Ali, Jerrold S. Meyer
Most recreational users of 3, 4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or "ecstasy") also take cannabis, in part because cannabis can reduce the dysphoric symptoms of the ecstasy come-down such as agitation and insomnia. Although previous animal studies have examined the acute effects of co-administering MDMA and Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is the major psychoactive ingredient in...
Journal of Psychopharmacology
December 1, 2011
Davide Quarta, Charles H Large
Lamotrigine is suggested to have potential as an add-on treatment for patients with schizophrenia. Supporting evidence comes from the efficacy of the drug in models of psychotic-like behaviour induced by N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists, such as phencyclidine (PCP). These drugs enhance levels of the monoamines in the cortex, which may contribute to their psychotomimetic effects....
Psychopharmacology
November 2011
Charlotte Klein, Emily Karanges, Adena Spiro et al.
The interactions between Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) during chronic treatment, and at equivalent doses, are not well characterised in animal models. The aim of this study is to examine whether the behavioural effects of THC, and blood and brain THC levels are affected by pre-treatment with equivalent CBD doses. Adolescent rats were treated with ascending daily THC...
Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
November 2011
Gregory C Hadlock, Katy M Webb, Lisa M McFadden et al.
The designer stimulant 4-methylmethcathinone (mephedrone) is among the most popular of the derivatives of the naturally occurring psychostimulant cathinone. Mephedrone has been readily available for legal purchase both online and in some stores and has been promoted by aggressive Web-based marketing. Its abuse in many countries, including the United States, is a serious public health concern....
Journal of Psychopharmacology
November 1, 2011
Harry Sumnall, Fiona Measham, Simon D. Brandt et al.
38 citations
Salvia divinorum is a hallucinogenic plant with ethnopharmacological and recreational uses. It differs from classic serotonergic hallucinogens such as LSD and psilocin in both phenomenology and potent agonist activity of the active component salvinorin A at κ-opioid receptors. Awareness of S. divinorum has grown recently, with both an increase in its public representation and concern over its...
Behavioural Pharmacology
October 6, 2011
Irina Majumder, Jason M. White, Rodney James Irvine
16 citations
Increased synaptic serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine) levels may underlie antidepressant-like effects of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) that may be more prominent in subjects with mood disturbance. The Flinders Sensitive Line (FSL) strain is an important animal model of depression. These rats are more immobile in the forced swimming test (FST), and their immobility is reversed by known...
Journal of Psychopharmacology
October 3, 2011
Kim Wolff, Eva-Maria Tsapakis, Carmine Maria Pariante et al.
37 citations
In this study we investigate the association of cytochrome P450 enzyme CYP2D6, catechol-O-methyl transferase (COMT, Val158Met) and serotonin transporter promoter (5-HTTLPR) genotypes on change in cortisol concentration following 3, 4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA, 'ecstasy') consumption. Forty-eight subjects (30 males, mean age 23 years), self-nominating regular clubbers provided 'in the...