title: Experience-dependent changes in temperature and behavioral activity induced by MDMA.
abstract: Hyperthermia and hyperlocomotor activity are commonly reported acute effects of high dose, experimenter-delivered 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). The current investigation was performed to determine short- to long-term physiological and behavioral changes induced by moderate intake MDMA self-administration. In the present study, rats self-administered MDMA (approx. 2.0-7.0 mg/kg/day) across 20 days during daily 2-h operant sessions. Locomotor activity was assessed during MDMA self-administration sessions and core temperatures were recorded before and after each session. Findings of the first several sessions showed core temperatures significantly decreased after MDMA self-administration compared to baseline and to a control group that self-administered saline during operant sessions. As sessions proceeded, the MDMA-induced hypothermic response diminished and core temperatures normalized, then increased during the last few sessions. Also, locomotor activity during MDMA self-administration sessions was initially equivalent to saline level activity, but increased by day 8 to significantly greater levels. Our findings demonstrate experience-dependent changes after voluntary administration of MDMA that are clearly observable in temperature regulation and behavioral activity.
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas at Austin, PHAR-Pharmacology, 1 University Station A1915, Austin, TX 78712-0125, USA.
authors.forename: Maria E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Reveron
authors.forename: Esther Y
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Maier
authors.forename: Christine L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Duvauchelle
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D001831:Body Temperature / Q000187:drug effects*; D003213:Conditioning, Psychological / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004756:Enterobacteriaceae Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D006213:Hallucinogens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012646:Self Administration / Q000379:methods; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D006213:Hallucinogens; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine