title: Behavioral, thermal and neurochemical effects of acute and chronic 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine ("Ecstasy") self-administration.
abstract: 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is a popular methamphetamine derivative associated with young adults and all-night dance parties. However, the enduring effects of MDMA at voluntary intake levels have not been extensively investigated. In this study, MDMA-influenced behaviors and core temperatures were assessed over the course of 20 daily MDMA self-administration sessions in rats. In vivo microdialysis techniques were used in a subsequent MDMA challenge test session to determine extracellular nucleus accumbens dopamine (NAcc DA) and serotonin (5-HT) levels in MDMA-experienced and naïve animals before and after a self-administered MDMA injection (3.0mg/kg, i.v.). During self-administration sessions, gradual and significant increases in MDMA intake and MDMA-stimulated locomotor activity were observed across sessions. Core temperature significantly decreased during initial MDMA sessions, but was unaltered by the last 10 sessions. In the MDMA challenge test, MDMA-naïve rats showed significantly higher NAcc 5-HT responses compared to MDMA-experienced rats, though MDMA experience did not affect the magnitude of NAcc DA response. The overall findings suggest that changes in MDMA-induced responses over the course of increasing levels of drug exposure may reflect the development of tolerance to a number of MDMA effects.
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712-0125, USA.
authors.forename: Maria Elena
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*; D001831:Body Temperature / Q000187:drug effects*; D002404:Catheterization; D003216:Conditioning, Operant / Q000187:drug effects; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D004361:Drug Tolerance; D005110:Extracellular Space / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D006213:Hallucinogens / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D017551:Microdialysis; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009714:Nucleus Accumbens / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012646:Self Administration; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D006213:Hallucinogens; D012701:Serotonin; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine; D004298:Dopamine