Division of Neurology, Cincinnati Children's Research Foundation, Cincinnati, OH ; Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
3 papers in the library · 48 citations · publishing 2009-2012
Treating young rats with either MDMA or the club drug 5-MeO-DIPT from postnatal days 11 to 20 caused lasting cognitive and behavioral changes, but the patterns differed between the two drugs. MDMA-treated animals showed increased anxiety, deficits in spatial and path integration learning, and memory problems. 5-MeO-DIPT-treated animals had spatial learning deficits but no impairments in spatial memory or path integration learning, and they were hyperactive when given a challenge dose of methamphetamine. The findings indicate that developmental exposure to either drug produces distinct behavioral effects.
Acute exposure to the club drugs MDMA (Ecstasy) and Foxy increases the stress hormone corticosterone in rats at all ages tested—preweaning, juvenile, and adulthood. Blood glucose also rises at all stages except in juveniles. No differences were found between males and females. These hormonal and metabolic changes may contribute to the behavioral and cognitive impairments previously linked to these drugs.
Binge doses of methamphetamine (MA) cause brief epileptiform brain activity in about half of rats and longer seizures in some, while MDMA produces no significant brain-wave abnormalities or muscle jerks. The drug Foxy (5-MeO-DIPT) triggers seizures in all rats shortly after the first dose, with muscle jerks appearing soon after injection. These effects were observed in male rats implanted with cortical electrodes and given four injections of each drug (10 mg/kg every two hours), a regimen that mimics the neurochemical changes seen in chronic users. The findings indicate that MDMA does not increase EEG abnormalities under these conditions, whereas MA and especially Foxy produce severe brain-activity disturbances.