3,4-Methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA) self-administration and neurotoxicity.
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 Ratio (PR) schedule. MDA supported self-administration at all doses on the FR1 schedule, but overdoses and deaths occurred at the 0.10 mg/injection dose. The breakpoints established on the PR schedule were relatively low. High performance liquid chromatography analyses of the cortex, hippocampus, striatum and nucleus accumbens subsequent to MDA self-administration revealed significant depletion of 5-HT in the hippocampus. The results suggest that MDA is moderately reinforcing and that self-administration of low doses of MDA over several days is selectively neurotoxic.
Markert
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Department of Psychology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario.
Roberts
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DC
D015104:3,4-Methylenedioxyamphetamine / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D000818:Animals; D015306:Biogenic Monoamines / Q000378:metabolism; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003042:Cocaine / Q000494:pharmacology; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D009714:Nucleus Accumbens / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D016548:Prosencephalon / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012055:Reinforcement Schedule; D012646:Self Administration / Q000523:psychology; D012701:Serotonin / Q000502:physiology
D015306:Biogenic Monoamines; D012701:Serotonin; D015104:3,4-Methylenedioxyamphetamine; D003042:Cocaine