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Effects of methylenedioxymethamphetamine on the release of monoamines from rat brain slices

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Abstract

The effects of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) on monoamine release were investigated in superfused slices of rat striatum and hippocampus. MDMA (10 μM) increased the resting release of radioactivity from slices incubated in [3H]dopamine, [3H]5-hydroxytryptamine or [3H]noradrenaline. These effects of MDMA (10 μM) were blocked by the neuronal uptake inhibitors, cocaine (10 μM), fluoxetine (1 μM) and desmethylhnipramine (1 μM), respectively. MDMA (10 μM) enhanced the stimulation-induced efflux of radioactivity from slices incubated in [3H]noradrenaline but not from slices incubated in [3H]5-hydroxytryptamine or [3H]dopamine. These results demonstrate for the first time a direct noradrenaline-releasing action of MDMA and differential effects of MDMA on the stimulation-induced release of noradrenaline, dopamine and 5-hydroxytryptamine from rat superfused brain slices.

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