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MDMA ADMINISTRATION AFFECTS COGNITION IN THE RAT

ABLE, JESSICA ANN
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1147890602

Abstract Details

2006, MS, University of Cincinnati, Medicine : Cell and Molecular Biology.
3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is an amphetamine analog. MDMA causes cognitive impairment in humans. Work done in primates corroborates this evidence. A reliable rat model of cognitive deficits has not been established. Experiment 1 examined the effect of a single-day dose regimen of MDMA (4 x 15mg/kg) on Sprague-Dawley rats in spatial learning on the Morris water maze (MWM), path integration learning in the Cincinnati water maze (CWM), and novel object recognition (NOR). The MDMA-treated animals made more errors than controls on the last three days of CWM testing. MWM and NOR revealed no differences. At the end of behavioral testing, serotonin (5-HT) was depleted in the MDMA-treated group in the hippocampus, striatum and prefrontal cortex and dopamine (DA) was depleted in the striatum. Since human MDMA use likely involves multiple doses, Experiment 2 examined the effects of a multiple-day dose regimen of MDMA on behavior. There were 3 treatment groups: (1) a 1-day/week for 5 weeks regimen of MDMA (15 mg/kg x 4/day), (2) a 1-day/week for 5 weeks regimen of saline (SAL, 4/day), and (3) a 1-day/week for 4 weeks regimen of saline and a 1-day regimen of MDMA on the fifth week. Subjects were given the following behavioral tests: elevated zero maze (EZM), locomotor activity, marble burying, CWM, MWM (3 phases), NOR, locomotion with methamphetamine challenge, and a delayed MWM probe trial. There were no differences between controls and the MDMA-treated groups in MWM or NOR. In the CWM, both MDMA treated groups showed significant deficits in learning. The 5-dose MDMA group showed increased anxiety in EZM and more locomotor activity following methamphetamine challenge. Examination of monoamines had 5-HT and DA reductions, similar to Experiment 1. Experiment 3 was designed to determine the time-course (across 5 weeks) for the DA depletions resulting from a single-day of MDMA administration. MDMA treatment depleted DA in the striatum during the first week, but levels recovered in weeks 2 through 4, and then were decreased again at week 5. These experiments show that MDMA causes impairments in complex brain functioning.
Dr. Michael Williams (Advisor)
99 p.
MDMA; learning; memory; rat; path integration; spatial learning

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • ABLE, J. A. (2006). MDMA ADMINISTRATION AFFECTS COGNITION IN THE RAT [Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1147890602

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • ABLE, JESSICA. MDMA ADMINISTRATION AFFECTS COGNITION IN THE RAT. 2006. University of Cincinnati, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1147890602.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • ABLE, JESSICA. "MDMA ADMINISTRATION AFFECTS COGNITION IN THE RAT." Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati, 2006. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1147890602

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ucin1147890602
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© 2006, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by University of Cincinnati and OhioLINK.