title: Acute Effects of Ecstasy on Memory Are more Extensive than Chronic Effects.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Exposure to 3, 4- methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) could lead to serotonergic system toxicity in the brain. This system is responsible for learning and memory functions. Studies show that MDMA causes memory impairment dose-dependently and acutely. The present study was designed to evaluate the chronic and acute effects of MDMD on spatial memory and acquisition of passive avoidance.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adult male Wistar rats (200-250 g) were given single or multiple injections of MDMA (10 mg/kg, IP). Using passive avoidance and Morris Water Maze (MWM) tasks, learning and spatial memory functions were assessed. The data were analyzed by SPSS 16 software and one- way analysis of variance (ANOVA) test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our results showed that there were significant differences in latency to enter the dark compartment (STL) between sham and MDMA- treated groups. Acute group significantly showed more STL in comparison with chronic group. Furthermore, MDMA groups spent more time in dark compartment (TDS) than the sham group. Administration of single dose of MDMA significantly caused an increase in TDS compared with the chronic group. In the MWM, MDMA treatment significantly increased the traveled distance and escaped latency compared to the sham group. Like to passive avoidance task, percentage of time spent in the target quadrant in MDMA- treated animals impaired in MWM compared with sham group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data suggest that MDMA treatment impairs learning and memory functions that are more extensive in acute- treated rats.
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Behavioral Disorders and Substance Abuse, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohamad Bakhtiar Hesam
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Shariati
authors.affiliation: Anatomy Department, School of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sohrabi
authors.affiliation: Neurophysiology Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
authors.forename: Siamak
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shahidi
authors.affiliation: Neurophysiology Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nikkhah
authors.affiliation: Anatomy Department, School of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mirzaei
authors.affiliation: Cellular & Molecular Research Center, Faculty of Advanced Technology in Medicne, Department of Anatomical Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Medizadeh
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Behavioral Disorders and Substance Abuse, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran ; Anatomy Department, School of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
authors.forename: Sara Soleimani
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Asl
keywords: Ecstasy; Learning; Spatial Memory