PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Commins, D L
AU  - Vosmer, G
AU  - Virus, R M
AU  - Woolverton, W L
AU  - Schuster, C R
AU  - Seiden, L S
TI  - Biochemical and histological evidence that methylenedioxymethylamphetamine (MDMA) is toxic to neurons in the rat brain.
DP  - 1987 Apr 01
TA  - Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
PG  - 338--345
VI  - 241
IP  - 1
4099  - http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/241/1/338.short
4100  - http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/241/1/338.full
SO  - J Pharmacol Exp Ther1987 Apr 01; 241
AB  - (+/-)-3,4-Methylenedioxymethylamphetamine (MDMA) was administered s.c. to rats (10, 20 or 40 mg/kg b. wt.) and guinea pigs (20 mg/kg) twice a day for 4 days, 2 weeks before decapitation. Norepinephrine, dopamine and serotonin (5-HT) levels were assayed in the hippocampus, hypothalamus, striatum and neocortex. In rats, MDMA produced dose-dependent reductions in 5-HT in all brain regions examined. The highest dose also reduced norepinephrine and/or dopamine in some regions. The 20-mg/kg dose of MDMA depleted 5-HT in all regions of the guinea pig brain assayed. In both species, repeated administration of 20 mg/kg of MDMA reduced the Vmax but not the Km of 5-HT uptake 2 weeks after administration. A single 40-mg/kg injection of MDMA depleted 5-HT 2 and 8 weeks after administration to rats in all regions of the brain examined except the hypothalamus. Administration of 80 mg/kg of MDMA twice a day for 2 days to rats depleted striatal 5-HT and dopamine. Brain sections from rats injected with MDMA according to this dosage regimen were stained by the Fink-Heimer method. Degenerating axon terminals and cell bodies were observed in the striatum and somatosensory cortex, respectively. These findings suggest that MDMA is toxic to serotonergic and, to a lesser extent, catecholaminergic neurons. Some neurons that do not contain these transmitters (neocortical neurons) are also affected.