3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine serotonin transport

Wang, X., Baumann, M.H., Xu, H., and Rothman, R.B., 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) administration to rats decreases brain tissue serotonin but not serotonin transporter protein and glial fibrillary acidic protein, Synapse 53(4), 240-248, 2004. 

Reneman, L. et al., Cortical serotonin transporter density and verbal memory in individuals who stopped using 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or ecstasy ), Arch. Gen. Psychiatry, 58, 901, 2001. 

Saldana SN, Barker EL (2004) Temperature and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine alter human serotonin transporter-mediated dopamine uptake. Neurosci Lett 354 209-212 Samuvel DJ, Jayanthi LD, Bhat NR, Ramamoorthy S (2005) A role for p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase in the regulation of the serotonin transporter evidence for distinct cellular mechanisms involved in transporter surface expression. J Neurosci 25 29-41 Schmitz Y, Schmauss C, Sulzer D (2002) Altered dopamine release and uptake kinetics in mice lacking D2 receptors. J Neurosci 22 8002-8009... 

Bengel D, Murphy DL, Andrews AM, Wichems CH, Feltner D, et al. 1998. Altered brain serotonin homeostasis and locomotor insensitivity to 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine ( Ecstasy ) in serotonin transporter-deficient mice. Mol. Pharmacol. 53 649-55... 

Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA ecstasy) is a synthetic analog of amphetamine that produces hallucinations, an elevation in mood, and a feeling of emotional closeness . This latter property has led to Ecstasy being referred to as the hug drag . The unique properties of Ecstasy as compared to the parent compound amphetamine are believed to be due to the more selective effects of Ecstasy in promoting transporter-mediated release of serotonin. The use of Ecstasy has become a part of the culture associated with rave style dance parties. 

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