Cutaneous Vasoconstriction Contributes to Hyperthermia Induced by 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (Ecstasy) in Conscious Rabbits
Journal of Neuroscience November 1, 2001 Nigel P. Pedersen, W.w. Blessing 120 citations
MDMA (Ecstasy) raises body temperature partly by constricting blood vessels near the skin's surface, which reduces the body's ability to release heat. In conscious rabbits, MDMA caused a dose-dependent increase in body temperature (from about 38.3 to 41.2 °C after 6 mg/kg) along with a sharp drop in ear pinna blood flow (from 29 to 5 cm/sec), indicating cutaneous vasoconstriction. Blocking sympathetic nerves on one side of the head reduced both the temperature rise and the vasoconstriction. This suggests that sympathetically mediated skin vessel narrowing is a key mechanism behind MDMA-induced hyperthermia, and reversing that constriction might help treat life-threatening overheating in humans.