Weekend Ecstasy use disrupts memory in rats

• Published in: Neuroscience letters Vol. 549; pp. 173 - 176
• Main Authors: McAleer, Leah M., Schallert, Timothy, Duvauchelle, Christine L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ireland Elsevier Ireland Ltd 09.08.2013
• Subjects: Animals; Drug Administration Schedule; Exploratory Behavior - drug effects; Habituation; Habituation, Psychophysiologic - drug effects; Male; MDMA; Memory; Memory - drug effects; N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine - administration & dosage; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Recognition; Self-administration; Street Drugs; Rats; Self-administration; Memory; Recognition; Habituation; MDMA
• ISSN: 0304-3940; 1872-7972
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2013.05.030

•Rats self-administered Ecstasy in a high sensory environment on weekends only.•Object recognition tests were used to monitor non-spatial memory.•Minimal Ecstasy exposure leads to deficits in short-term and recognition memory. 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, or “Ecstasy”) is a popular recreational drug. However, its exposure is often limited to the weekends in a highly stimulating environment. The goal of this study was to investigate the behavioral domains of working and recognition memory within a model of “weekend” Ecstasy use. Rats self-administered MDMA during 2-h sessions on two consecutive days followed by five drug-free days. Coupling this intermittent dosing schedule with a novel object recognition task, we found non-spatial memory impaired after only two “weekends” of self-administered MDMA. Our findings suggest that MDMA at recreational use levels can disrupt memory processes.