3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine and 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine destroy serotonin terminals in rat brain: quantification of neurodegeneration by measurement of [3H]paroxetine-labeled serotonin uptake sites.
Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics September 1, 1987 G. Battaglia, S. Yeh, E. O'Hearn et al. 459 citations
Repeated administration of MDMA and MDA to rats caused long-lasting damage to serotonin neurons. Two weeks after a four-day treatment, levels of the serotonin metabolite 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid were reduced by 30-60% in several brain regions, and the density of serotonin uptake sites fell by 50-75%. No widespread changes occurred in norepinephrine or dopamine systems. The findings demonstrate that both drugs produce persistent neurotoxic effects on the structural and functional integrity of serotonergic neurons, and measuring serotonin uptake site density offers a way to quantify this damage.