The neurotoxic and behavioural effects of MDMA (

摇头丸（摇头丸）最近已成为世界上最流行的娱乐性毒品之一。使用MDMA的一个主要问题是，动物研究中越来越多的证据表明，即使是中等剂量也可能对利用5-羟色胺（5-HT）进行神经传递的神经细胞造成不可逆的损伤。目前尚不清楚的是，这种损害如何表现为情绪、认知和行为的改变。现有的证据表明，5-HT在焦虑、抑郁和冲动中起着重要作用，但MDMA的使用是否会增加这些问题的可能性还不确定。该项目的一个主要目的是研究老鼠接触摇头丸后的行为、认知和情绪变化。使用各种复杂的任务，我们将确定MDMA对记忆，注意力，冲动和焦虑的急性和长期影响。另一个令人关切的问题是，使用二亚甲基双氧安非他明是否会增加对其他滥用药物成瘾作用的脆弱性。我们的目的是检查是否大鼠预先暴露于MDMA随后敏感的可卡因和阿片类药物的奖励作用。MDMA使用者也可能在服用药物几天后出现暂时性抑郁症。我们将评估MDMA可能的快感缺失或抑郁影响。最后，关于MDMA影响大脑的方式还有很多需要了解。我们最近的工作表明，许多不同的大脑区域受到这种药物的影响。我们想扩展这项工作，看看这种大脑激活模式是如何被剥夺液体和高环境温度改变的-在狂欢派对上经历的条件。本项目将有助于进一步了解MDMA及其神经毒性作用，并强调目前正在使用或计划使用这种药物的人可能存在的任何潜在的长期健康危险。

MDMA (Ecstasy) has recently become one of the most popular recreational drugs in the world. A major concern with MDMA use is the mounting evidence from animal studies that even moderate doses may cause irreversible damage to nerve cells that utilize serotonin (5-HT) for neurotransmission. What is not known is how this damage might be expressed in terms of altered emotion, cognition and behaviour. Existing evidence suggests an important role for 5-HT in anxiety, depression and impulsiveness, but whether MDMA use will increase the likelihood of such problems is uncertain. A major aim of this project is to examine the behavioural, cognitive and emotional changes in rats following exposure to MDMA. Using a variety of sophisticated tasks, we will determine the acute and the long term effects of MDMA in relation to memory, attention, impulsivity, and anxiety. A further concern is whether MDMA use may increase vulnerability to the addictive effects of other drugs of abuse . We aim to examine whether rats pre-exposed to MDMA are subsequently sensitised to the rewarding effects of cocaine and opioids. MDMA users may also suffer a temporary depression a few days after taking the drug. We will assess the possible anhedonic or depressing effects of MDMA. Finally, there is still a lot to understand about the way MDMA affects the brain. Our recent work shows that many diverse brain regions are affected by this drug. We want to extend this work to see how this pattern of brain activation is altered by fluid deprivation and high ambient temperatures - conditions experienced at rave parties. The present project will help further our understanding of MDMA and its neurotoxic effects and to highlight any potential long-term dangers to health that may exist for people who are currently using or are planning to use this drug.