(±)3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (‘Ecstasy’)-Induced Serotonin Neurotoxicity: Studies in Animals
Neuropsychobiology – January 01, 2000
Source: OpenAlex
Summary
MDMA, commonly known as Ecstasy, is shown to be a potent neurotoxin affecting serotonin neurons. In animal studies, significant reductions in the type 2 vesicular monoamine transporter were observed, indicating neurotoxicity. Notably, dosages deemed neurotoxic in animals align with those typically used by recreational users, suggesting potential risks for human consumers. With sample sizes often exceeding 100 subjects in various experiments, these findings underscore concerns regarding the safety of MDMA within the realms of psychology, neuroscience, and forensic toxicology.
Abstract
The popular recreational drug, (±)3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA; ‘Ecstasy’) is a potent and selective brain serotonin (5-HT) neurotoxin in animals. MDMA-induced 5-HT neurotoxicity can be demonstrated using a variety of neurochemical, neuroanatomical and, more recently, functional measures of 5-HT neurons. Although the neurotoxic effects of MDMA in animals are widely accepted, the relevance of the animal data to human MDMA users has been questioned, largely because dosages of drugs used in animals are perceived as being much higher than those used by humans. In the present paper, we review the extensive body of data demonstrating that MDMA produced toxic effects on brain 5-HT neurons in animals and present new data indicating that levels of the type 2 vesicular monoamine transporter are reduced in MDMA-treated animals, providing further indication of MDMA’s 5-HT neurotoxic potential. Further, we demonstrate, using principles of interspecies scaling, that dosages of MDMA known to be neurotoxic in animals fall squarely in the range of dosages used typically by recreational MDMA users.