title: Age-dependent sensitivity of rats to the long-term effects of the serotonergic neurotoxicant (+/-)-3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) correlates with the magnitude of the MDMA-induced thermal response.
abstract: The effects of developmental age on (+/-)-3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-induced reductions in 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) content and 5-HT reuptake sites were investigated in conjunction with the effects of developmental age on MDMA-induced thermoregulatory responses. MDMA was administered to rats at postnatal days (PND) 10, 40 and 70 in a range of ambient temperature environments (10 degrees C, 25 degrees C and 33 degrees C). Animals were monitored for alterations in body temperature and sacrificed 1 week after MDMA administration. MDMA administration at PND 10 did not result in persistent reductions in 5-HT content or 5-HT reuptake sites in frontal cortex, nor could a hyperthermic response be elicited. In contrast, MDMA administration at PND 40 and PND 70 resulted in a hypothermic response in cold environments (10 degrees C) and a hyperthermic response in warm environments (> or = 25 degrees C). When hypothermia was observed after MDMA (10 degrees C environment), long-term reductions in 5-HT content and 5-HT reuptake sites were significantly attenuated or abolished. Conversely, when a hyperthermic response was observed (25 degrees C and 33 degrees C environments), long-term MDMA-induced reductions in 5-HT content and 5-HT reuptake sites were significantly enhanced. Thus, thermal responses significantly correlated with MDMA-induced reductions in 5-HT content and 5-HT reuptake sites. These experiments demonstrate a role for hyperthermia in the expression of serotonergic neurotoxicity after MDMA administration.
authors.affiliation: Interdisciplinary Toxicology Program, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, USA.
authors.forename: H W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Broening
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Bowyer
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Slikker
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001833:Body Temperature Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000633:toxicity; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine; D009498:Neurotoxins; D012701:Serotonin; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors