The amphetamine analogue 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ‘ecstasy’) is widely abused as a recreational drug due to its unique psychological effects. Of interest, MDMA causes long-lasting deficits in neurochemical and histological markers of the serotonergic neurons in the brain of different animal species. Such deficits include the decline in the activity of tryptophan hydroxylase in p...

Kainic acid (KA) causes seizures and neuronal loss in the hippocampus. The present study investigated whether a recreational schedule of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) favours the development of a seizure state in a model of KA-induced epilepsy and potentiates the toxicity profile of KA (20 or 30mg/kg). Adolescent male C57BL/6 mice received saline or MDMA t.i.d. (s.c. every 3h), on 1d...

Methamphetamine (MeAmp) abuse has recently experienced a resurgence and approaches to the treatment of its addiction similar to those used with cocaine have been considered. As the treatment regimes are likely to use drugs whose metabolism is related to that of MeAmp, studies were initiated to establish the enzymology of the fate of MeAmp. This report describes investigations of the role of CYP...

BACKGROUND 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA; ecstasy), a compound chemically related to stimulant and hallucinogenic drugs, has been found to induce a state of euphoria and increased self-awareness. MDMA has been increasingly used for recreational purposes, especially among college students and other young adults, and has been associated with multiple toxic effects. METHODS Using MEDLI...

Amphetamine derivatives, such as methamphetamine (METH) and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), act as monoaminergic neurotoxins in the central nervous system. Although there are slight differences in their mechanism of action, these compounds share a final common pathway, which involves dopamine release and oxidative stress. Apart from striatal toxicity involving monoamine axons, no prev...

The ‘‘psychedelic renaissance’’ is generating new evidence for psychedelics’ potential to treat numerous mental and substance use disorders. In particular, the United States Food Drug Administration poised approve psychedelic drugs 3,4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) psilocybin in psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT). This renaissance has led substantial public attention toward psychedelics,...