Erowid
 
 
Plants - Drugs Mind - Spirit Freedom - Law Arts - Culture Library  
Erowid References Database
Fone KF, Beckett SG, Topham IA, Swettenham J, Ball M, Maddocks L. 
“Long-term changes in social interaction and reward following repeated MDMA administration to adolescent rats without accompanying serotonergic neurotoxicity”. 
Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2002;159(4):437-444..
Text
  • Abstract (this page)
  • Full Text - English (private)
    • Show Articles by
  • Fone KF
  • Beckett SG
  • Topham IA
  • Swettenham J
  • Ball M
  • Maddocks L
    • Article IDs
  • Erowid RefID: 1313
  • PubMedID: unknown
    • Collections
  • Hofmann Collection
  • MDMA Collection
  • All References


    		•
    Abstract

    RATIONALE: MDMA is a popular drug of abuse in adolescents which causes serotonergic neurotoxicity in adult but not young rodents. However, few studies have examined the long-term behavioural consequence of MDMA and it is unclear whether such changes occur in the absence of neurotoxicity.
    OBJECTIVE: The present study examined whether treatment of young rats with MDMA produced long-term behavioural alterations without accompanying serotonergic neurotoxicity.

    METHODS: Male Lister hooded rats ( n=36, postnatal day (PND) 39) received MDMA (7.5?mg/kg IP, twice daily for 3 days) or saline (l?ml/kg IP) and the acute effect on open field behaviour and body temperature was monitored. Following drug withdrawal, social interaction in pre-treatment- and weight- matched rat pairs, cortical [(3)H]paroxetine binding and hippocampal and frontal cortical serotonin and dopamine levels (PND 53, n=12) and conditioned place preference (PND 70, n=24) to cocaine (5?mg/kg IP) were analysed.

    RESULTS: MDMA elicited the expected immediate serotonin syndrome with significant hyperlocomotion, decreased rearing and hypothermia. Twelve to 29 days after the last MDMA injection social interaction was significantly attenuated (by 41%) and the sub-threshold conditioned place preference to cocaine was significantly enhanced compared with that in saline controls, although no significant side preference to cocaine occurred in the latter. MDMA pre-treatment did not alter 5-HT levels or cortical [(3)H]paroxetine binding. CONCLUSION: MDMA administration to adolescent rats reduced social interaction and enhanced the sub-threshold rewarding effect of cocaine at adulthood, despite an absence of accompanying serotonergic and dopaminergic neurotoxicity.
    Comments and Responses to this Article
    #
    Submit Comment
    [ Cite HTML ]