Differential role of dose and environment in initiating and intensifying neurotoxicity caused by MDMA in rats.

CONCLUSION: Our results reveal that extracellular 5-HT is the cause of a syndrome and activity of postsynaptic receptors critical for the course of syndrome intensification. Although the high-dose has the potential to initiate serotonergic injury due to high MDMA concentrations present in the brain, whether an injury is observed depends upon the drug environment via the levels of reactive oxygen species generated. This suggests that brain MDMA concentration is the determinant in the injury initiation while reactive oxygen species generation associated with the injury intensification. It is concluded that the two adverse events utilize distinctly different mediating molecules during the toxic initiation and intensification. PMID: 31383036 [PubMed - in process]
Source: BMC Pharmacology and Toxicology - Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Tags: BMC Pharmacol Toxicol Source Type: research