Evaluating the Contribution of Serotonin Receptor Subtypes and ‘Binge’ 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) Exposure to the Discriminative Stimulus Effects of MDMA in Rats

Abstract

3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA; ‘Ecstasy’) shares psychoactive effects with drugs that possess stimulant (e.g. amphetamine, the effects of which are primarily dopaminergic) and hallucinogenic properties (e.g. LSD, which has serotonergic effects) [1]. The majority of MDMA’s distinctive effects as well as its toxicity have been linked to its actions on serotonergic neurotransmission [2]. One way in which MDMA’s serotonergic effects can be studied is to train rats to distinguish dopaminergic stimulant effects from mood and perception-altering serotonergic effects using a three-way drug discrimination paradigm [3].