PMID- 11224335
OWN - NLM
STAT- Publisher
LR  - 20191120
IS  - 1473-5849 (Electronic)
IS  - 0955-8810 (Linking)
VI  - 6
IP  - 3
DP  - 1995 Apr
TI  - Assessment of the discriminative stimulus effects of the optical isomers of 
      ecstasy (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine; MDMA).
PG  - 263-275
AB  - The discriminative stimulus effects of the stereoisomers of 
      3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) were studied in rats trained to 
      discriminate 1.25mg/kg of (+)-MDMA or 3.5mg/kg of (-)-MDMA from saline, in a two 
      lever, water-reinforced, drug discrimination situation. The isomers of MDMA and 
      3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA) substituted completely for both training 
      drugs. The stimulants amphetamine and cocaine did not substitute for either MDMA 
      isomer. The hallucinogens (+/-)-2,5-dimethoxy-4-methylamphetamine (DOM), 
      (+)-lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), and mescaline failed to substitute 
      completely for (+)-MDMA. Similarly, DOM and mescaline did not substitute for 
      (-)-MDMA; however, LSD did substitute for this isomer at a dose of 0.06mg/kg but 
      not at higher doses. Substitution tests with 5-HT-releasing agents revealed that 
      fenfluramine substituted partially for (+)-MDMA and completely for (-)-MDMA, 
      while p-chloroamphetamine substituted completely for both isomers of MDMA. When 
      given in combination with (+)-or (-)-MDMA, neither the 5-HT(2) antagonist 
      pirenpirone nor the less selective 5-HT antagonist metergoline consistently 
      blocked drug-appropriate responding. These results indicate that the 
      stereoisomers of MDMA and MDA have similar discriminative stimulus properties. 
      More importantly, the present findings suggest that 5-HT release may be important 
      for the discriminative stimulus effects of (+)-and (-)-MDMA. Actions at 5-HT(2) 
      receptors, however, do not appear to be critical.
FAU - Baker, LE
AU  - Baker LE
AD  - Department of Psychology, University of South Carolina, Columbia, S.C.
FAU - Broadbent, J
AU  - Broadbent J
FAU - Michael, EK
AU  - Michael EK
FAU - Matthews, PK
AU  - Matthews PK
FAU - Metosh, CA
AU  - Metosh CA
FAU - Saunders, RB
AU  - Saunders RB
FAU - West, WB
AU  - West WB
FAU - Appel, JB
AU  - Appel JB
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
PL  - England
TA  - Behav Pharmacol
JT  - Behavioural pharmacology
JID - 9013016
EDAT- 1995/04/01 00:00
MHDA- 2001/02/27 10:00
CRDT- 1995/04/01 00:00
PHST- 1995/04/01 00:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2001/02/27 10:00 [medline]
PHST- 1995/04/01 00:00 [entrez]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Behav Pharmacol. 1995 Apr;6(3):263-275.