EVIDENCE FOR DEPLETION OF BRAIN DA, 5-HT AND 5-HIAA CONCENTRATIONS FOLLOWING 3,4-METHYLENEDIOXYMETHAMPHETAMINE (MDMA OR ECSTASY) ADMINISTRATION IN RATS
R. Dafters et al., EVIDENCE FOR DEPLETION OF BRAIN DA, 5-HT AND 5-HIAA CONCENTRATIONS FOLLOWING 3,4-METHYLENEDIOXYMETHAMPHETAMINE (MDMA OR ECSTASY) ADMINISTRATION IN RATS, Biogenic amines, 13(6), 1997, pp. 525-535
In the experiment described here, it was shown that a single 10 or 15
mg/kg dose of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or ''Ecstasy'')
administered to rats produced substantial depletions of 5-HT and its m
etabolite, 5-HIAA and of dopamine in the frontal cortex, striatum and
hippocampus measured at three and eight days postdrug. Monoamine conte
nt of the isolated brain regions was determined by HPLC-ECD. The findi
ngs confirm and extend previous reports of MDMA's toxicity to 5-HT neu
rons by showing that neurotoxicity does not necessarily require the hi
gh and/or repeated dose treatments which have previously been used but
can follow a single moderate dose. In addition they provide novel evi
dence of MDMA's dopaminergic neurotoxicity in striatal and non-striata
l regions of the rat brain following a single low dose.