Influence of PCPA and MDMA (ecstasy) on physiology, development and behavior in Drosophila melanogaster
European Journal of Neuroscience July 1, 2007 Sameera Dasari, Kert Viele, Amy Turner et al. 40 citations
Para-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA) and MDMA ('ecstasy') each delay development and reduce movement and feeding in larval fruit flies. PCPA blocks serotonin synthesis and MDMA depletes serotonin in mammalian neurons, so the experiments targeted the serotonergic system. PCPA lowered serotonin and dopamine levels in the larval brain, while MDMA did not reduce serotonin. The central nervous system remained sensitive to externally applied serotonin, but PCPA reduced that sensitivity, suggesting serotonin receptor regulation depends on neural activity. MDMA enhanced the central response to serotonin, indicating a possible agonist action or release of serotonin from neurons. Heart responses to serotonin were unchanged by either drug.