Urs V. Berger

Johns Hopkins Medicine

2 papers in the library · 462 citations · publishing 1990-1992

Papers

Neurotoxicity of MDMA and Related Compounds: Anatomic Studiesa

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences October 1, 1990 Mark E. Molliver, Urs V. Berger, Laura A. Mamounas et al. 252 citations

Amphetamine derivatives such as MDA, MDMA, PCA, and fenfluramine cause serotonin (5-HT) release and acute depletion of 5-HT from most axon terminals in the forebrain. Within 36–48 hours, signs of axon degeneration appear, including swollen varicosities and fragmentation. Fine 5-HT axon terminals are persistently lost, while beaded axons and raphe cell bodies are spared, indicating differential vulnerability of two types of 5-HT axons arising from separate raphe nuclei. Over 2–8 months, progressive serotonergic re-innervation of the neocortex occurs along a fronto-occipital gradient, with longitudinal axons growing into layers I and VI before sprouting into middle layers, resembling perinatal development. It is unknown whether a normal innervation pattern is re-established.

DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1990.tb16916.x Neurology Medicine Library science Psychology +2

The substituted amphetamines 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, methamphetamine, p-chloroamphetamine and fenfluramine induce 5-hydroxytryptamine release via a common mechanism blocked by fluoxetine and cocaine

European Journal of Pharmacology May 1, 1992 Urs V. Berger, Xi Gu, Efrain C. Azmitia 210 citations

Substituted amphetamines MDMA, methamphetamine, PCA, and fenfluramine all release serotonin from nerve endings through a shared mechanism. PCA and fenfluramine are the most potent, MDMA is less potent, and methamphetamine is much less potent. Combining two drugs at half-effective concentrations does not increase release beyond either drug alone. The serotonin reuptake blockers fluoxetine and cocaine inhibit release from all four drugs equally. However, at low concentrations that block reuptake, these amphetamines do not reduce release caused by higher concentrations, indicating their uptake blockade differs from that of fluoxetine or cocaine.

DOI: 10.1016/0014-2999(92)90023-w MDMA Serotonin Fenfluramine Methamphetamine +8