Effects of ritanserin on the 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine-induced decrease in striatal serotonin concentration and on the increase in striatal neurotensin and dynorphin A concentrations.
The concentration of serotonin (5-HT) measured in rat striatum was reduced to 75% of control 1 week after a single subcutaneous administration of dl-3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, 20 mg/kg). This decrease was prevented by pretreating the animals with ritanserin. Eighteen hours after MDMA (20 mg/kg), striatal concentrations of neurotensin-like immunoreactivity (NTLI) and of dynorphin A-like immunoreactivity (DLI) were increased to 250 and 487% of control, respectively, but ritanserin failed to prevent these changes. This study supports a role for 5-HT2 receptors in the mechanism by which a single high dose of MDMA induces neuronal damage to the serotonergic system, but not the MDMA-induced increase in central NTLI and DLI concentrations.
Johnson
M
M
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City 84112.
Bush
L G
LG
Hanson
G R
GR
Gibb
J W
JW
D015104:3,4-Methylenedioxyamphetamine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D015198:Designer Drugs / Q000494:pharmacology; D004399:Dynorphins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine; D009496:Neurotensin / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D016713:Ritanserin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism*
D015198:Designer Drugs; D016713:Ritanserin; D012701:Serotonin; D009496:Neurotensin; D015104:3,4-Methylenedioxyamphetamine; D004399:Dynorphins; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine