Increased sensitivity to the acute effects of MDMA (“ecstasy”) in female rats

Páleníček, Tomáš; Votava, Martin; Bubenikova, V.; Horáček, Jiří

doi:10.1016/j.physbeh.2005.08.043

Cited by 75 publications

(46 citation statements)

References 60 publications

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“…Two recent reports of increased locomotor responses to MDMA in females relative to males and in ovariectomized females following estrogen treatment are consistent with the present report (Pelenicek et al 2005;Zhou et al 2003). The latter study supports a role for ovarian hormones in this augmented response.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

“…Fitzgerald et al (1989) showed a higher level of MDMA, but not the metabolite MDA, in the plasma of female rats after a single drug injection, whereas Chu et al (1996) reported lower brain concentrations of MDA, but not MDMA, in female rats after MDMA. Two recent behavioral studies report that females show enhanced locomotion, less startle response, and comparable effects in the plus maze Pelenicek et al 2005).…”

mentioning

confidence: 98%

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Sex differences in the neurochemical and functional effects of MDMA in Sprague–Dawley rats

et al. 2006

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Rationale 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA; "Ecstasy") use has been associated with acute toxicities and persistent depletion of the neurotransmitter serotonin (5-HT). Objectives This study investigates whether sex differences in the acute and long-term effects of MDMA exist. Methods Male and female rats received saline or 15 mg/kg MDMA, ip, bid for 4 days. Temperature was monitored on days 1 and 4. Locomotor activity was measured in a second cohort of animals on days 1 and 4 and after recovery on day 14. The effects of MDMA on performance in a plus maze task and brain levels of serotonin (5-HT) and the serotonin metabolite 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) were determined in a third cohort of animals 2 weeks after the last MDMA treatment. Results Locomotor activity and temperature increased after MDMA administration on day 1. The drug-induced increases in temperature but not locomotion attenuated with repeated MDMA administration. Male and female MDMA-treated rats spent less time in the open arms of the elevated plus maze and had less 5-HT and 5-HIAA in all brain regions 2 weeks after the end of treatment. Temperature effects of MDMA and persistent effects on plus maze and brain serotonin content were similar in males and females. In contrast, females exhibited markedly greater locomotor stimulation after acute MDMA and also showed sensitization to an acute challenge 2 weeks later. Conclusions MDMA elicits substantially greater locomotor activation in female rats than in males, but persistent effects on anxiety and serotonin content were similar in males and females.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

mentioning

confidence: 98%

Sex differences in the neurochemical and functional effects of MDMA in Sprague–Dawley rats

et al. 2006

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“…Findings are also consistent with reports that women experience more acute negative effects of recreational ecstasy [7,8] and with animal studies demonstrating that the behavioral effects of MDMA are greater in females [9]. Contrary to the findings of Liechti et al [1], we found that females also exhibited greater cardiovascular responses to the drug than males.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Individual Differences in Acute Responses to MDMA in Humans: Effects of Sex and Past Ecstasy Use

Bedi

Wit²

2011

TOADDJ

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“…Males also showed greater hyperactivity and hyperthermia in response to non-lethal MDMA doses. However, adult female rats exhibited substantially more locomotor activation to MDMA than males [112]. Interestingly, there were no sex differences in the MDMA induced reduction in 5-HT or 5-HIAA in [74] which is consistent with a prior investigation [94].…”

Section: Sex-differencessupporting

confidence: 89%

A developmental comparison of the neurobehavioral effects of ecstasy (MDMA)

Piper

2007

Neurotoxicology and Teratology

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The entactogen ±3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or ecstasy) is a popular recreational drug among college, high school, and, occasionally, middle school students. Preclinical research examining the acute and long-term effects of MDMA has predominately been conducted in reproductively mature subjects but there has been increasing interest in adolescent and in utero exposure. This review examines the acute and long-term responses to MDMA during perinatal, adolescent, and adult periods. The ability of MDMA to alter core body temperature emerges gradually during ontogeny while a reduction in body weight is evident at all ages. Learning and workingmemory are also altered independent of the developmental stage of exposure. Current evidence suggests adults are more sensitive to the long-term serotonin depletions following MDMA but younger ages also exhibit substantial and rapid neuroplasticity. Sexually dimorphic MDMA responses have been identified for the acute hyperthermic and motoric effects of MDMA with pubescent males being especially susceptible. Several physiological, behavioral, and neurochemical MDMA issues requiring further study are also outlined. Keywords±3; 4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine; Adolescence; Anxiety; Depression; Learning; SerotoninThe phenylethylamine ±3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is a popular recreational drug best known as ecstasy. MDMA has several other street names including Adam, baby slits, chocolate chips, clarity, doctor, essence, kleenex, and roll [77]. Although ecstasy has some similarities with both stimulants and hallucinogens, MDMA is an entactogen. Entactogen means "touching within" based on the drug's subjective effects [110]. MDMA also causes long term changes in several markers of the integrity of the serotonin (5-HT) neurotransmitter system [58]. There have been several excellent recent reviews on MDMA toxicology, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and neurobehavioral consequences [30,37,113,157], but none have systematically addressed the intricate effects of MDMA during development.Ecstasy use is not restricted to limited subpopulations, that is fans of techno music and "raves" [173] or male homosexuals [73,81], as MDMA has expanded into the general population [124,148,170] and especially young people [52,78,170,172]. Over one hundred pregnant women in Toronto called a substance abuse helpline between 1998 and 2000 to inquire Corresponding Author: Brian J. Piper, Neuroscience and Behavior Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003-7710, Tel: (413) 545-0996, bpiper@nsm.umass.edu Publisher's Disclaimer: This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final citable form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers...

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Increased sensitivity to the acute effects of MDMA (“ecstasy”) in female rats

Cited by 75 publications

References 60 publications

Sex differences in the neurochemical and functional effects of MDMA in Sprague–Dawley rats

Sex differences in the neurochemical and functional effects of MDMA in Sprague–Dawley rats

Individual Differences in Acute Responses to MDMA in Humans: Effects of Sex and Past Ecstasy Use

A developmental comparison of the neurobehavioral effects of ecstasy (MDMA)

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