MDMA and Pavlovian Fear Memory: Dose‐Effect Analysis

Summary

The study investigates the effects of low to moderate doses of MDMA on learning and memory using a fear conditioning paradigm in mice. It assesses doses ranging from 0.1 to 8 mg/kg and compares them to a vehicle control. The findings aim to clarify whether low doses of MDMA could be therapeutically viable without adverse effects on cognitive function, particularly in the context of its potential use for treating PTSD and anxiety disorders.

Study at a glance

Abstract

±3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is a recreational drug that is also being pursued as a therapeutic for PTSD and other mood and anxiety disorders. Despite strong evidence of its therapeutic potential, these pursuits are hindered by evidence that MDMA produces robust neurotoxicity and cognitive deficits at high doses. These findings, however, may not generalize to typical recreational or therapeutic use of low‐dose MDMA. To date, there is little research on the cognitive effects of low/moderate doses of MDMA (less than 3 mg/kg) – the doses that users typically take. In the present study, we examined the effects of MDMA on learning and memory across a range of doses using a Pavlovian fear conditioning paradigm. Hybrid C57BL/6Jx129S1/SvImJ mice were randomly assigned to groups by MDMA dose. Mice were trained on‐drug with a single tone‐shock pairing and then tested off‐drug one week later for long‐term context and tone fear memory. We assessed the effects of doses of 0.1 to 8 mg/kg MDMA relative to vehicle control on immediate memory and long‐term contextual and cued memory. With increasing interest in therapeutic uses of MDMA, this research will help determine if low doses are therapeutically viable in terms of adverse effects on learning and memory. Support or Funding Information NIH/NIDA Grant DA020041 (Anagnostaras) This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal .

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