3, 4-methylenedioximethamphetamin reverses anxiety induced by chronic mild stress

Abstract

Here we report the effects of subchronic 3, 4 methylenedioximethamphetamine (MDMA) on the elevated plusmaze, a widely used animal model of anxiety. Rats exposed to a mild chronic stress (MCS) protocol received intracerebroventricular microinjections of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) – fluoxetine (2.0 ug/ul) or MDMA, (2.0 ug/ul) for seven days. On the eighth day rats were tested in the elevated plus-maze. Our results showed that sub chronic MDMA interacted with MCS leading to a decrease in anxiety related behaviors including: percentage of open arms entries (F [2, 26] = 4.00; p = 0.031), time spent in the open arms (F [2, 26] = 3.656; p = 0.040) and time spent in the open arms extremities (F [2, 26] = 5.842; p = 0.008). These results suggest a potential effect of MDMA in the reversion of the emotional significance of aversive stimuli.

Keywords

• MDMA
• fluoxetine
• elevated plus-maze
• anxiety
• serotonin
• mild chronic stress