Effects of chronic intracerebroventricular 3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methamphetamine (MDMA) or fluoxetine on the active avoidance test in rats with or without exposure to mild chronic stress.
Behavioural Brain Research, 2009
In despite the similarity of mechanisms of action between both selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) and MDMA... more In despite the similarity of mechanisms of action between both selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) and MDMA (main compound of "Ecstasy") there are relatively few reports on the effects of the later on animal models of depression. There are many animal models designed to create or to assess depression. Mild chronic stress (MCS) is a procedure designed to create depression. MCS includes the chronic exposure of the animal to several stressors. After that, rats show behavioural changes associated to depression. In the other hand, the active avoidance task (AAT) is an experimental situation in which an animal has to accomplish a particular behaviour in order to avoid the application of a stressor. Animals exhibiting depression fail to acquire avoidance responses as rapidly as normal animals do. In order to assess the effect of MDMA on the acquisition of an active avoidance response, forty-five rats were divided in two groups exposed or not exposed to MCS. Rats also received chronic intracerebroventricular MDMA (0.2mug/mul; 1mul), fluoxetine (2.0mug/mul; 1mul) or saline solution (0.9%; 1mul). Our results showed that the effect of MDMA depends upon the level of stress. MDMA treated animals showed better acquisition (F([2,37])=7.046; P=0.003) and retention (F([2,37])=3.900; P=0.029) of the avoidance response than fluoxetine or saline treated animals when exposed to MCS. This finding suggests that MDMA (and no fluoxetine) was able to change the aversive valence of the stressors maybe enhancing coping strategies. This effect could serve as a protective factor against helplessness and maybe post-traumatic stress.
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MDMA (ecstasy) effects on actual driving performance before and after sleep deprivation, as function of dose and concentration in blood and oral fluid
by Silke Conen
Authors:
Bosker WM, Kuypers KP, Conen S, Kauert GF, Toennes SW, Skopp G, Ramaekers JG.
Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2011 Sep 28. [Epub ahead of print]
RATIONALE:
Experimental research has shown that 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) can improve some... more
RATIONALE:
Experimental research has shown that 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) can improve some psychomotor driving skills when administered during the day. In real life, however, MDMA is taken during the night, and driving may likely occur early in the morning after a night of "raving" and sleep loss.
OBJECTIVES:
The present study assessed the effects of MDMA on road-tracking and car-following performance in on-the-road driving tests in normal traffic.
METHODS:
Sixteen recreational MDMA users participated in a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled four-way cross-over design. They received single, evening doses of 0, 25, 50, and 100 mg MDMA on separate occasions. Actual driving tests were conducted in the evening when MDMA serum concentrations were maximal and in the morning after a night of sleep loss.
RESULTS:
The primary measure of driving, i.e., standard deviation of lateral position (SDLP, a measure of weaving) was significantly increased during driving tests in the morning in all treatment conditions, irrespective of MDMA dose and concentration. The increments in SDLP were of high clinical relevance and comparable to those observed for alcohol at blood alcohol concentrations >0.8 mg/mL. These impairments were primarily caused by sleep loss.
CONCLUSIONS:
In general, MDMA did not affect driving performance nor did it change the impairing effects of sleep loss. It is concluded that MDMA cannot compensate for the impairing effects of sleep loss and that drivers who are under the influence of MDMA and sleep deprived are unfit to drive.
Dose-related effects of MDMA on psychomotor function and mood before, during, and after a night of sleep loss
by Silke Conen
Authors:
Wendy M. Bosker, Kim P. C. Kuypers, Silke Conen, and Johannes G. Ramaekers.
Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2010 March; 209(1): 69–76.
Introduction
3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is known to improve psychomotor function and mood when... more
Introduction
3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is known to improve psychomotor function and mood when measured during daytime. However, MDMA users tend to take this drug at dance parties while staying awake for prolonged periods of time.
Subjects and methods
This study was designed to assess dose-related residual effects of MDMA on psychomotor function and mood after a night without sleep. Sixteen recreational MDMA users received single doses of 25, 50, and 100 mg MDMA in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over study.
Results
Results showed that sleep loss significantly impaired psychomotor function. MDMA generally did not affect performance but did improve rapid information processing at the highest dose in the morning after administration. In the evening, MDMA also increased subjective ratings of positive mood at every dose and subjective arousal at the highest dose. These subjective effects were no longer present after a night of sleep loss.
Discussion
It is concluded that sleep deprivation impairs psychomotor function and that stimulant effects of MDMA are not sufficient to compensate for this impairment.
Apparent transient effects of recent" ecstasy" use on cognitive performance and extrapyramidal signs in human subjects
by Ryan Smith
OBJECTIVES:
Our purpose is to investigate cognitive performance and extrapyramidal function early after ecstasy... more
OBJECTIVES:
Our purpose is to investigate cognitive performance and extrapyramidal function early after ecstasy use.
BACKGROUND:
Ecstasy, containing 3,4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine, has shown evidence of causing cognitive deficits and parkinsonian signs. Previous research has examined cognitive performance after a period of prolonged abstinence, but research assessing the early effects of ecstasy after recent use is limited despite temporal neurochemical differences demonstrated in nonhuman models.
METHODS:
This study compared task performance between 13 ecstasy users (10 to 15 h postdrug use) and a control group on a battery of neuropsychologic assessments while matching for education level, sleep deprivation, and premorbid IQ. The groups were also compared on measures relating to parkinsonian signs.
RESULTS:
The ecstasy subjects showed impairments on measures of executive function as evaluated by Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices (SPM) and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Task (WCST). Short-delay free recall memory was also impaired in ecstasy subjects on the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT-II). No extrapyramidal motor impairments were detected.
CONCLUSIONS:
These deficits resemble deficits previously reported in chronic ecstasy use but also seem to reveal transient impairments in executive function. Future research is needed to better understand the neurologic and neuropsychologic implications of ecstasy use across time and extent of use.
A preliminary survey of paranormal experiences with psychoactive drugs
by David Luke
Luke, D. P., & Kittenis, M. (2005). A preliminary survey of paranormal experiences with psychoactive drugs. Journal of Parapsychology, 69 (2), 305-327.
The occurrence of transpersonal experiences with psychedelic substances is well attested, and several surveys have... more The occurrence of transpersonal experiences with psychedelic substances is well attested, and several surveys have consistently found a small relationship between paranormal experiences and the use of such drugs in general. Isolated investigations of experiences with specific drugs exist, but no surveys have systematically examined whether particular experiences relate to particular drugs. In an online survey, 139 respondents were recruited through parapsychology or psychedelic interest groups and completed a questionnaire detailing psychoactive drug-use behaviour and the frequency of occurrence of a number of paranormal, shamanic, and mystical type experiences. Patterns of drug-induced transpersonal experiences reported elsewhere were mostly corroborated, particularly the proclivity for telepathic experiences with cannabis, out-of-body experiences with ketamine, entity encounter experiences with N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), and plant-spirit encounters with a host of psychedelic plants. Several small correlations were found between drug-use frequency and experience frequency with certain drug and experience types, particularly those termed mystical. As expected, alcohol and opiate/opioid-use did not correlate with any transpersonal experiences although, surprisingly, no sizable correlations were found for psi experiences and the use of any one type of drug, possibly due to the high rate of occurrence of psi experiences among both drug users and non-drug users with this particular sample.