Abstract
A number of drugs that fall into the broad category of "ring-substituted amphetamines" have been found to be neurotoxic toward brain monoamine neurons in animals. Several of these drugs, including (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, "Ecstasy") and methamphetamine ("speed") and fenfluramine ("Pondimin") have been used or abused by humans. A growing body of evidence indicates that humans, like animals, are susceptible to substituted amphetamine-induced neurotoxic injury, and that consequences of this injury can be subtle. This article will review the effects of ring-substituted amphetamine analogs on brain monoamine neurons, using MDMA as the prototype. Studies documenting MDMA neurotoxic potential toward brain serotonin (5-HT) neurons in animals are summarized first. Human MDMA studies are then discussed, beginning with a consideration of methodological challenges in evaluating the status of 5-HT neurons in the living human brain. Recent findings indicating possible functional alterations in brain serotonergic systems in humans with a history of extensive MDMA exposure are then presented, including some new findings on sleep and personality in abstinent MDMA users.
Original language | English (US) |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 85-99 |
Number of pages | 15 |
Journal | Neurotoxicity research |
Volume | 3 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 2001 |
Keywords
- Amphetamines
- CNS
- Drug abuse
- MDMA
- Neurotoxicity
- Serotonin
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Neuroscience
- Toxicology