EVIDENCE FOR DEPLETION OF BRAIN DA, 5-HT AND 5-HIAA CONCENTRATIONS FOLLOWING 3,4-METHYLENEDIOXYMETHAMPHETAMINE (MDMA OR ECSTASY) ADMINISTRATION IN RATS

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.