3,4-Methylendioxyamphetamine (MDA), a drug with both stimulant- and hallucinogen-like properties, has been used for both medical and recreational purposes. The present study examined the reinforcing effects of MDA in rats and evaluated the resulting neurotoxicity. Self-administration of various doses (0.10, 0.05 and 0.025 mg/injection) was examined on a Fixed Ratio 1 (FR1) and a Progressive...
The racemate and the enantiomers of 1-(3-methoxy-4-methyphenyl)-2- aminopropane (6) and racemic 5-methoxy-6-methyl-2-aminoindan (11) were tested for stimulus generalization in the two-lever drug-discrimination paradigm. Both 6 and 11 were found to substitute with high potency in 3,4-(methylenedioxy)methamphetamine (1) and (S)-1-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl)-2-(methylamino)butane (2) trained rats. In...
The effect of various analogues of the neurotoxic amphetamine derivative, MDA (3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine) on carrier-mediated, calcium-independent release of 3H-5-HT and 3H-DA from rat brain synaptosomes was investigated. Both enantiomers of the neurotoxic analogues MDA and MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) induce synaptosomal release of 3H-5-HT and 3H-DA in vitro. The release of...
To assess the potential involvement of metabolism of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) to the catechol alpha-methylepinine in producing serotonergic neurotoxicity, we attempted to correlate aspects of this reaction with the neurotoxicity profile of MDMA. In contrast to the stereoselectivity of S-(+)-MDMA in causing persistent declines in rat brain 5-hydroxyindole levels, no...
Rats tested for 1 h in the Behavioral Pattern Monitor (BPM) after injection of the mixed serotonergic agonist d-lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) exhibit a behavioral profile similar to that produced by various hallucinogenic 5HT-2 agonists. The characteristic effects of the hallucinogens include suppression of locomotor and exploratory behavior and a preferential decrease in entries into the...
Two 2,3-dihydrobenzofuran analogues of hallucinogenic amphetamines were prepared and evaluated for activity in the two-lever drug-discrimination paradigm in rats trained to discriminate saline from LSD tartrate (0.08 mg/kg) and for the ability to displace [125I]-(R)-DOI [( 125I]-(R)-1-(2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl)-2-aminopropane) from rat cortical homogenate 5-HT2 receptors. The compounds,...
The administration of 5-methoxy-N,N-di-methyl-tryptamine (5-MeODMT), O-2.0 mg.kg-1 SC -15 min, produced a dose-dependent facilitation of the male rat sexual behavior, as evidenced by a decrease in the number of intromissions to ejaculation and in the ejaculation latency. The effects produced by 5-MeODMT (1 mg.kg-1) were antagonized by pindolol (4 mg.kg-1 SC -30 min), but not pirenperone (0.25...
The serotonergic deficits resulting from methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-induced neurotoxicity were prevented by the simultaneous administration of 5-hydroxytryptamine2 (5-HT2) receptor antagonists such as MDL 11,939 or ritanserin. This effect was not region specific as protection was observed in the cortex, hippocampus and striatum 1 week after the administration of a single dose of MDMA....
The binding properties of the 5-hydroxytryptamine2 (5-HT2) receptor have been the subject of much interest and debate in recent years. The hallucinogenic amphetamine derivative 4-bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenylisopropylamine (DOB) has been shown to bind to a small number of binding sites with properties very similar to [3H]ketanserin-labeled 5-HT2 receptors, but with much higher agonist affinities....
The cytotoxic effects of amphetamine derivatives were studied by immunocytochemistry to identify the cellular compartments affected by these drugs, to obtain morphologic evidence of neuronal degeneration, and to assess the potential for regeneration. The substituted amphetamines, MDA, MDMA, PCA, and fenfluramine, all release serotonin and cause acute depletion of 5-HT from most axon terminals...