Developmental effects of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine: a review

Skelton, Matthew R.; Williams, Michael T.; Vorhees, Charles V.

doi:10.1097/fbp.0b013e3282f62c76

Cited by 60 publications

(46 citation statements)

References 122 publications

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“…MDMA inhibits TH activity, resulting in impaired and damaged dopamine neurons and degeneration of serotonergic nerve terminals in adult animals (Battaglia et al, 1987;Schmidt and Taylor, 1987;O'Shea et al, 1998). Exposure of the fetus or newborn pup to MDMA does not cause such nerve toxicities (Skelton et al, 2008). The nervous system of infants is underdeveloped, and MDMA could be less toxic to these neurons.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Maternal MDMA administration in mice leads to neonatal growth delay

et al. 2014

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-The psychoactive recreational drug 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is widely abused. The fact that MDMA induces neurotoxic damage in serotonergic nerve endings is well known. However, the effects of MDMA on pregnant and neonatal animals remain unknown. Therefore, we studied the effects of gestational exposure to MDMA on birth, growth, and behavior of pups. Female BALB/c mice were orally administered either water (10 ml/kg) or MDMA (20 mg/10 ml/kg) from gestational day 1 to postnatal day (P) 21. MDMA did not affect the birth rate, but the survival rate of the pups significantly decreased. A significant reduction in body weight gain was observed in pups from MDMAadministered dams during P3-P21. Maternal MDMA treatment caused an attenuated cliff avoidance reaction and decreased motor function in the pups, as determined by the wire hanging test. These results suggest that MDMA treatment during pregnancy and lactation causes growth retardation and dysfunction of motor neurons in mouse pups.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Maternal MDMA administration in mice leads to neonatal growth delay

et al. 2014

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“…27 MDMA treatment in animals correspondent to human prenatal exposure has been shown to disrupt the serotonergic system and induces the release of the stress hormone cortisol. 7 Many aspects of motor control have a serotonergic input, and serotonin may be more implicated in gross skeletal rather than fine or discrete muscle movements. 28 At 12 months, the Bayley Mental Scale items also have a strong motor component, as language…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…6 Preclinical studies indicate that prenatal MDMA exposure may induce behavioral alterations of long-term memory and learning impairments and increased locomotor activity. [7][8][9] First-trimester exposure has been related to reduced birth weight, increased locomotor activity, and learning deficits, 9 as well as long-term behavioral alternations of reduced anxiety, heightened response to novelty, and hyperattentiveness during spatial learning. 10 Recent studies indicate structural and functional changes in the noradrenergic system related to attention.…”

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confidence: 99%

One-Year Outcomes of Prenatal Exposure to MDMA and Other Recreational Drugs

et al. 2012

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OBJECTIVE: A widely used illicit recreational drug among young adults, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) or ecstasy, is an indirect monoaminergic agonist/reuptake inhibitor affecting the serotonin system. Preclinical studies found prenatal exposure related to long-term learning and memory impairments. There are no studies of sequelae of prenatal MDMA exposure in humans, despite potential harmful effects to the fetus. METHODS: A total of 96 women in the United Kingdom (28 MDMA users; 68 non-MDMA) were interviewed about recreational drug use during pregnancy. Their infants were seen at 12 months using standardized assessments of cognitive, language, and motor development (Preschool Language Scale, Bayley Mental and Motor Development and Behavior Rating Scales [Mental Development Index, Psychomotor Development Index, Behavioral Rating Scale]). Mothers completed the Child Domain Scale of the Parenting Stress Index, The Home Observation of the Environment Scale (in interview), the Brief Symptom Inventory, and the Drug Abuse Screening Test. Women were primarily middle class with some university education, in stable partner relationships, and polydrug users. MDMA and other drug effects were assessed through multiple regression analyses controlling for confounding variables, and analysis of covariance comparing heavier versus lighter and nonexposed groups. RESULTS: Amount of prenatal MDMA exposure predicted poorer infant mental and motor development at 12 months in a dose-dependent manner. Heavily exposed infants were delayed in motor development. Lighter-exposed infants were comparable to nonexposed infants. There were no effects on language, emotional regulation, or parenting stress. CONCLUSIONS: Findings document persistent neurotoxic effects of heavier prenatal MDMA exposure on motor development through the first year of life.

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“…Given the widespread recreational use of MDMA (Ecstasy), pregnant women should be cautioned about possible developmental effects in offspring. Animal models need to be designed to include relevant doses and human developmental periods to best ascertain the developmental effects of MDMA (for an excellent review, see Skelton et al (2008)). …”

Section: Amphetaminementioning

confidence: 99%

Developmental Consequences of Fetal Exposure to Drugs: What We Know and What We Still Must Learn

Ross

Graham

Money

et al. 2014

Neuropsychopharmacol

341

241

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Most drugs of abuse easily cross the placenta and can affect fetal brain development. In utero exposures to drugs thus can have long-lasting implications for brain structure and function. These effects on the developing nervous system, before homeostatic regulatory mechanisms are properly calibrated, often differ from their effects on mature systems. In this review, we describe current knowledge on how alcohol, nicotine, cocaine, amphetamine, Ecstasy, and opiates (among other drugs) produce alterations in neurodevelopmental trajectory. We focus both on animal models and available clinical and imaging data from cross-sectional and longitudinal human studies. Early studies of fetal exposures focused on classic teratological methods that are insufficient for revealing more subtle effects that are nevertheless very behaviorally relevant. Modern mechanistic approaches have informed us greatly as to how to potentially ameliorate the induced deficits in brain formation and function, but conclude that better delineation of sensitive periods, dose-response relationships, and long-term longitudinal studies assessing future risk of offspring to exhibit learning disabilities, mental health disorders, and limited neural adaptations are crucial to limit the societal impact of these exposures.

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Developmental effects of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine: a review

Cited by 60 publications

References 122 publications

Maternal MDMA administration in mice leads to neonatal growth delay

Maternal MDMA administration in mice leads to neonatal growth delay

One-Year Outcomes of Prenatal Exposure to MDMA and Other Recreational Drugs

Developmental Consequences of Fetal Exposure to Drugs: What We Know and What We Still Must Learn

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