Acute effects of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine on brain serotonin synthesis in the dog studied by positron emission tomography
Neurochemistry InternationalPublished 1 January 1999
S Nishisawa
Citations19
SJR quartileQ2
SJR score1.19
SNIP0.91
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TL;DR
The influence of an acute dose of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA; Ecstasy) on the brain serotonin synthesis in the dog was assessed using alpha [11C]methyl-L-tryptophan and positron emission tomography.
Abstract
The influence of an acute dose (2 mg/kg; i.v.; infused over 10 min) of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA; Ecstasy) on the brain serotonin synthesis in the dog was assessed using alpha [11C]methyl-L-tryptophan and positron emission tomography. The rate of serotonin synthesis measured 1 h after injection of MDMA was six times greater than the base line (before MDMA) synthesis. Five hours after the MDMA injection, serotonin synthesis was about one half that at the base line, and about one thirteenth of the synthesis at 1 h after MDMA. A large increase seen 1 h after MDMA probably relates to the large release of serotonin by MDMA and reflects an attempt of the serotonergic system to replenish released serotonin. This probably correlates with the mood changes reported by humans after MDMA intake. Decrease observed 5 h after MDMA, in part, probably relates to the inhibitory effects of the released serotonin, which could act on the activity of tryptophan hydroxylase directly or indirectly via other monoaminergic systems (e.g. dopaminergic).
Keywords
PsychologyNeurosciencePharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics
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