Discriminative stimulus effects of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) in humans trained to discriminate among d-amphetamine, meta-chlorophenylpiperazine and placebo
Abstract
In animals, two-choice drug discrimination studies have demonstrated that the behavioral effects of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) are mediated by dopaminergic and serotonergic systems. In order to delineate the relative role of these systems, three-choice paradigms have been used in animals, with findings indicating a more prominent role for serotonin. Human studies assessing the subjective and physiological effects of MDMA have also indicated a mixed action. To parallel animal studies, the participants in the present study were trained to discriminate among a prototypic dopaminergic agonist, d-amphetamine, a prototypic serotonergic agonist, meta-chlorophenylpiperazine (mCPP) and placebo and then were tested with two doses of MDMA. In addition, subjective and physiological effects were measured. The results demonstrated that humans could be trained to discriminate among 20 mg d-amphetamine, 0.75 mg/kg mCPP and placebo. When tested with 1.0 and 1.5 mg/kg, half the participants reported MDMA to be like amphetamine and half like mCPP. There were no clear differences between these two groups in other dimensions, although there was an indication that the individuals who discriminated MDMA as d-amphetamine were more sensitive to the effects of all the drugs. The subjective effects of all three drugs overlapped, although the effects of MDMA appeared more amphetamine-like.
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Earlier controlled lab work suggests MDMA raises self-reported states tied to empathy and social ease, but findings are mixed.
“These studies indicate that MDMA increases feelings related to empathy and sociability, including self-rated friendliness [7–8], extroversion [9–10], closeness to others [11], sociability [7, 12], talkativeness [7–8], amicability, and gregariousness [13], although some of these effects are inconsistent [14–16].”
From Is Ecstasy an “Empathogen”? Effects of +/- 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine on Prosocial Feelings and Identification of Emotional States in Others (2010) · cites this paper as [15]
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- Authors
- Johanson, C.-E., Kilbey, M., Gatchalian, K., & Tancer, M.
- Affiliations
- Wayne State University (US)
- University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (US)
- Corresponding author
- Johanson, Chris-Ellyn
- Venue
- Drug and Alcohol Dependence
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2006-01
- Volume
- 81
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 27-36
- ISSN
- 0376-8716 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1976834001
- Cited by
- 58
- References
- 29
- Citations by year
- 2024: 1 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 2 · 2013: 2 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 3.86
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Drug and Alcohol Dependence (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health (5k08da000370-05)
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (K08 DA00370)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychedelics and Drug Studies
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
- Life Sciences › Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics › Toxicology › Forensic Toxicology and Drug Analysis
- Keywords
- MDMA, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, drug discrimination, d-amphetamine, mCPP, serotonin, dopamine, subjective effects, physiological effects, drug sensitivity
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Alcoholism, Arousal, Dextroamphetamine, Discrimination Learning, Dose-Response Relationship, Drug, Double-Blind Method, Female, Hallucinogens, Humans, Male, Piperazines, Serotonin Agents, Dopamine Agonists, N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine, Amphetamine-Related Disorders
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