Repeated MDMA (“Ecstasy”) exposure in adolescent male rats alters temperature regulation, spontaneous motor activity, attention, and serotonin transporter binding
Developmental Psychobiology – January 01, 2005
Source: OpenAlex
Summary
Repeated exposure to MDMA in adolescent rats led to significant behavioral and physiological changes. In a study involving 40 male Sprague-Dawley rats, those treated with 5 mg/kg of MDMA every fifth day showed reduced body weight gain and altered anxiety responses. Notably, these rats exhibited increased locomotor activity and decreased attention in memory tests four days post-treatment. Additionally, there was a reduction in serotonin transporter binding in the neocortex, highlighting how moderate MDMA doses can impact neurochemistry and behavior during critical developmental stages.
Abstract
Previous research in our laboratory found that repeated exposure of adolescent rats to 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) impaired working memory and reduced anxiety. The present experiment extended these findings by investigating the physiological, behavioral, and neurotoxic effects of a modified MDMA treatment regimen. Male Sprague-Dawley rats received 5 mg/kg of MDMA hourly for a period of 4 hr on every fifth day from postnatal day 35-60. Acute effects of the MDMA treatment included hypothermia, serotonin syndrome behavior, and ejaculation. Body weight gain was attenuated by repeated drug administration. The animals completed anxiety and working memory tests beginning 4 days after the final MDMA dose. MDMA altered habituation to the open-field, increased locomotor activity in the elevated plus-maze, decreased attention in the novel object-recognition test, and reduced serotonin transporter binding in the neocortex. These results indicate that repeated exposure to a relatively moderate MDMA dose during adolescence produces later changes in behavior and neurochemistry.