TY - JOUR
T1 - MDMA- and p-chlorophenylalanine-induced reduction in 5-HT concentrations
T2 - Effects on serotonin transporter densities
AU - Boot, Brendon P.
AU - Mechan, Annis O.
AU - McCann, Una D.
AU - Ricaurte, George A.
PY - 2002/10/25
Y1 - 2002/10/25
N2 - Low levels of serotonin may reduce the density of the serotonin transporter (SERT) by either increasing trafficking or reducing synthesis; a "neuroadaptive response". To determine whether 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-induced reductions in SERT density could be related to such a mechanism, p-chlorophenylalanine or MDMA was administered to rats, and brain serotonin and SERT density were measured. As expected, both treatments led to serotonin depletion 1, 7 and 14 days later. However, only MDMA reduced SERT density. This observation suggests that MDMA-induced reductions in SERT density do not represent neuroadaptive responses to decreased levels of brain serotonin, but may occur in response to some other stimulus or to the neurotoxic effects of MDMA.
AB - Low levels of serotonin may reduce the density of the serotonin transporter (SERT) by either increasing trafficking or reducing synthesis; a "neuroadaptive response". To determine whether 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-induced reductions in SERT density could be related to such a mechanism, p-chlorophenylalanine or MDMA was administered to rats, and brain serotonin and SERT density were measured. As expected, both treatments led to serotonin depletion 1, 7 and 14 days later. However, only MDMA reduced SERT density. This observation suggests that MDMA-induced reductions in SERT density do not represent neuroadaptive responses to decreased levels of brain serotonin, but may occur in response to some other stimulus or to the neurotoxic effects of MDMA.
KW - 5-HT
KW - MDMA
KW - Neuroadaptation
KW - Serotonin transporter
KW - p-Chlorophenylalanine
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0037174806&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0037174806&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/S0014-2999(02)02420-2
DO - 10.1016/S0014-2999(02)02420-2
M3 - Article
C2 - 12398910
AN - SCOPUS:0037174806
SN - 0014-2999
VL - 453
SP - 239
EP - 244
JO - European Journal of Pharmacology
JF - European Journal of Pharmacology
IS - 2-3
ER -