TY - GEN
T1 - MDMA and seizures
T2 - A dangerous liaison?
AU - Giorgi, Filippo S.
AU - Lazzeri, Gloria
AU - Natale, Gianfranco
AU - Iudice, Alfonso
AU - Ruggieri, Stefano
AU - Paparelli, Antonio
AU - Murri, Luigi
AU - Fornai, Francesco
PY - 2006/8
Y1 - 2006/8
N2 - In the past decades, there was a massive increase in the abuse of methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) in the Western countries. Seizure onset after MDMA is considered to be related mainly to its acute systemic effects (e.g., hyponatremia and hyperthermia). However, additional mechanisms might concur to it as well. Experiments aimed at disclosing the basis for such an acute effect have the advantage of profiting of controlled conditions and the "pure" compounds, as opposed to the limits of clinical data which are biased by several confounding factors. Amphetamines exert profound effect on different monoaminergic systems, which might participate to lowering of seizure threshold. Chronic effects of MDMA abuse on seizure threshold have not been explored in detail so far. Recent data showed that in mice receiving small, repeated doses of MDMA, a persisting pro-convulsant effect toward limbic seizures and metabolic hyperexcitability can be observed. In the present article, we reviewed these studies and we report our preliminary experimental data documenting the lack of mossy fiber sprouting at short time intervals following MDMA, when seizure susceptibility is already present.
AB - In the past decades, there was a massive increase in the abuse of methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) in the Western countries. Seizure onset after MDMA is considered to be related mainly to its acute systemic effects (e.g., hyponatremia and hyperthermia). However, additional mechanisms might concur to it as well. Experiments aimed at disclosing the basis for such an acute effect have the advantage of profiting of controlled conditions and the "pure" compounds, as opposed to the limits of clinical data which are biased by several confounding factors. Amphetamines exert profound effect on different monoaminergic systems, which might participate to lowering of seizure threshold. Chronic effects of MDMA abuse on seizure threshold have not been explored in detail so far. Recent data showed that in mice receiving small, repeated doses of MDMA, a persisting pro-convulsant effect toward limbic seizures and metabolic hyperexcitability can be observed. In the present article, we reviewed these studies and we report our preliminary experimental data documenting the lack of mossy fiber sprouting at short time intervals following MDMA, when seizure susceptibility is already present.
KW - Dopamine
KW - Kainate
KW - Limbic system
KW - MDMA
KW - Mossy fiber sprouting
KW - Seizures
KW - Serotonin
KW - Status epilepticus
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33749551110&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=33749551110&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1196/annals.1369.035
DO - 10.1196/annals.1369.035
M3 - Conference contribution
C2 - 17105933
AN - SCOPUS:33749551110
SN - 1573316296
SN - 9781573316293
VL - 1074
T3 - Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
SP - 357
EP - 364
BT - Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
ER -