MDMA Modulation of Sensory Information Processing

描述（由申请人提供）： 拟议研究的具体目的是使用体内微透析和单一单位记录，确定急性和慢性MDMA（“摇头丸”）暴露对5-羟色胺（5-HT）流出和哺乳动物大脑感觉通路功能的影响。拟议的实验将使用定义明确的大鼠三叉神经躯体感觉系统作为模型，评估急性和慢性接触MDMA对躯体感觉系统功能的影响。这些实验将测试的假设，急性和慢性MDMA的结果在5-HT流出的改变和显着变化的单一感觉神经元传入信息的反应。描述MDMA的急性和慢性影响将有助于我们理解其作为娱乐性药物的受欢迎程度。此外，这些实验将导致更好地了解MDMA对触觉信息处理的生理机制。两者合计，这将推进我们的知识与MDMA管理，包括行为敏化，耐受性和药物复吸，所有这些都涉及感官过程，并有助于MDMA的滥用倾向的某些现象。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The specific aims of the proposed research is to define the effects of acute and chronic MDMA ('ecstasy') exposure on serotonin (5-HT) efflux and the functioning of sensory pathways in the mammalian brain using in vivo microdialysis and single unit recordings. The proposed experiments will use the well-defined rat trigeminal somatosensory system as a model to assess the effects of MDMA during acute and chronic exposure on the functioning of the somatosensory system. These experiments will test the hypothesis that acute and chronic MDMA results in alterations of 5-HT efflux and significant changes in the responsiveness of single sensory neurons to afferent information. Characterizing the acute and chronic effects of MDMA will contribute to our understanding of its popularity as a recreational drug. In addition, these experiments will lead to a better understanding of the physiological mechanisms underlying MDMA's effects on tactile information processing. Taken together, this will advance our knowledge of certain phenomena associated with MDMA administration including behavioral sensitization, tolerance, and drug relapse all of which involve sensory processes and contributes to MDMA's abuse liability.