Behavioural, biochemical and neurocytoarchitechural impact of MDMA in male adolescent mice

Abstract

Neurotoxicity of 3, 4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ecstasy) is still controversially discussed. MDMA is an amphetamine derivative that has gained significant popularity in recent years and has become the recreational drug of choice for many young, adolescents and adults. This study sought to investigate that MDMA causes a behavioral, biochemical and neurocytoarchitechural change in male adolescent mice. Fifteen adolescent male mice were used for this study. They were randomly divided into 3 groups, of five mice each, control group received normal saline (Ctrl), 5 mice received 10 mg/kg of MDMA, s.c (LoD) and another 5 mice received 20 mg/kg of MDMA, s.c (HiD). The animals were subjected to behavioural tests to check their motor activity. Biochemical analysis to test for the level of catalase and monoamine oxidase activity was also done. The motor activity of animals treated with 10 mg/kg and 20 mg/kg of MDMA was significantly (p < 0.05) lower when compared with the control. Likewise, there was a reduction in the catalase and monoamine oxidase activity in the treated groups. In the cerebellum, cellular distortion was seen in the treated group. It could be concluded that MDMA affects the motor activity of the treated animals and thus cause an alteration in the neurocytoarchitechure, catalase and monoamine oxidase activities of the animals.

Keywords: MDMA, Motor function, Hippocampus, Cerebellum, Biochemical.