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Barenys M, Reverte I, Masjosthusmann S, Gómez-Catalán J, Fritsche E. Developmental neurotoxicity of MDMA. A systematic literature review summarized in a putative adverse outcome pathway. Neurotoxicology 2019; 78:209-241. [PMID: 31812710 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2019.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2019] [Revised: 11/11/2019] [Accepted: 12/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The increasing use of illegal drugs by pregnant women causes a public health concern because it is associated with health risks for mothers and their developing children. One of such drugs is MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) or ecstasy due to its high consumption in relevant age and sex groups and its adverse effects on human and rodent developing brains. To thoroughly review the current knowledge on the developmentally neurotoxic potential of MDMA we systematically collected and summarized articles investigating developmental neurotoxicity (DNT) of MDMA in humans and animals in vivo and in vitro. In addition, we summarized the findings in a putative adverse outcome pathway (AOP). From an initial 299 articles retrieved from the bibliographic databases Web of Science, PubMed and DART, we selected 39 articles according to inclusion/exclusion criteria for data collection after title/abstract and full text screening. Of these 3 where epidemiological studies, 34 where in vivo studies in mice and rats and 2 were in vitro studies. The three epidemiological studies reported from the same longitudinal study and suggested that MDMA exposure during pregnancy impairs neuromotor function in infants. In rat, postnatal exposure towards MDMA also caused locomotor deficits as well as impaired spatial learning that might be associated with decreased serotonin levels in the hippocampus. In vitro MDMA caused cytotoxicity at high concentrations and effects on the serotonergic and neuritogenic alterations at lower concentrations which are in line with some of the in vivo alterations observed. Considering the adverse outcomes of developmental MDMA described in humans and in rodents we summarized the first putative AOP on developmental compound exposure leading to impaired neuromotor function in children. For generation of this AOP, MDMA exposure was taken as a model compound. In addition, we hypothesized a second AOP involving developmental disturbance of the dopaminergic system. However, further in vitro mechanistic studies are needed to understand the molecular initiating event(s) (MIE) triggering the downstream cascades and obtain consistent evidences causally linking the adverse outcome to effects at the cellular, organ and organism level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Barenys
- GRET, INSA-UB and Toxicology Unit, Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutical Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Ingrid Reverte
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy; Santa Lucia Foundation (IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia), Rome, Italy
| | - Stefan Masjosthusmann
- IUF - Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Jesús Gómez-Catalán
- GRET, INSA-UB and Toxicology Unit, Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutical Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ellen Fritsche
- IUF - Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany; Heinrich-Heine University, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
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García-Pardo MP, De la Rubia Ortí JE, Aguilar Calpe MA. Differential effects of MDMA and cocaine on inhibitory avoidance and object recognition tests in rodents. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2017; 146:1-11. [PMID: 29081371 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2017.10.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2017] [Revised: 10/23/2017] [Accepted: 10/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Drug addiction continues being a major public problem faced by modern societies with different social, health and legal consequences for the consumers. Consumption of psychostimulants, like cocaine or MDMA (known as ecstasy) are highly prevalent and cognitive and memory impairments have been related with the abuse of these drugs. AIM The aim of this work was to review the most important data of the literature in the last 10 years about the effects of cocaine and MDMA on inhibitory avoidance and object recognition tests in rodents. DEVELOPMENT The object recognition and the inhibitory avoidance tests are popular procedures used to assess different types of memory. We compare the effects of cocaine and MDMA administration in these tests, taking in consideration different factors such as the period of life development of the animals (prenatal, adolescence and adult age), the presence of polydrug consumption or the role of environmental variables. Brain structures involved in the effects of cocaine and MDMA on memory are also described. CONCLUSIONS Cocaine and MDMA induced similar impairing effects on the object recognition test during critical periods of lifetime or after abstinence of prolonged consumption in adulthood. Deficits of inhibitory avoidance memory are observed only in adult rodents exposed to MDMA. Psychostimulant abuse is a potential factor to induce memory impairments and could facilitate the development of future neurodegenerative disorders.
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Aschner M, Ceccatelli S, Daneshian M, Fritsche E, Hasiwa N, Hartung T, Hogberg HT, Leist M, Li A, Mundi WR, Padilla S, Piersma AH, Bal-Price A, Seiler A, Westerink RH, Zimmer B, Lein PJ. Reference compounds for alternative test methods to indicate developmental neurotoxicity (DNT) potential of chemicals: example lists and criteria for their selection and use. ALTEX-ALTERNATIVES TO ANIMAL EXPERIMENTATION 2016; 34:49-74. [PMID: 27452664 PMCID: PMC5250586 DOI: 10.14573/altex.1604201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2016] [Accepted: 07/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
There is a paucity of information concerning the developmental neurotoxicity (DNT) hazard posed by industrial and environmental chemicals. New testing approaches will most likely be based on batteries of alternative and complementary (non-animal) tests. As DNT is assumed to result from the modulation of fundamental neurodevelopmental processes (such as neuronal differentiation, precursor cell migration or neuronal network formation) by chemicals, the first generation of alternative DNT tests target these processes. The advantage of such types of assays is that they capture toxicants with multiple targets and modes-of-action. Moreover, the processes modelled by the assays can be linked to toxicity endophenotypes, i.e. alterations in neural connectivity that form the basis for neurofunctional deficits in man. The authors of this review convened in a workshop to define criteria for the selection of positive/negative controls, to prepare recommendations on their use, and to initiate the setup of a directory of reference chemicals. For initial technical optimization of tests, a set of >50 endpoint-specific control compounds was identified. For further test development, an additional “test” set of 33 chemicals considered to act directly as bona fide DNT toxicants is proposed, and each chemical is annotated to the extent it fulfills these criteria. A tabular compilation of the original literature used to select the test set chemicals provides information on statistical procedures, and toxic/non-toxic doses (both for pups and dams). Suggestions are provided on how to use the >100 compounds (including negative controls) compiled here to address specificity, adversity and use of alternative test systems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Mardas Daneshian
- Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing-Europe (CAAT-Europe), University of Konstanz, Germany
| | - Ellen Fritsche
- Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine (IUF), Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Nina Hasiwa
- Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing-Europe (CAAT-Europe), University of Konstanz, Germany
| | - Thomas Hartung
- Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing-Europe (CAAT-Europe), University of Konstanz, Germany.,Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing (CAAT), The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Helena T Hogberg
- Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing (CAAT), The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Marcel Leist
- Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing-Europe (CAAT-Europe), University of Konstanz, Germany.,In vitro Toxicology and Biomedicine, Dept inaugurated by the Doerenkamp-Zbinden Foundation at the University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany.,Konstanz Research School Chemical Biology (KoRS-CB), Konstanz University
| | - Abby Li
- Exponent Inc.,San Francisco, USA
| | - William R Mundi
- United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), NHEERL, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Stephanie Padilla
- United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), NHEERL, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Aldert H Piersma
- National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands.,Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Anna Bal-Price
- European Commission Joint Research Centre, Institute for Health and Consumer Protection, Ispra, Italy
| | - Andrea Seiler
- Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, Germany
| | - Remco H Westerink
- Neurotoxicology Research Group, Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | | | - Pamela J Lein
- Center for Research on Occupational and Environmental Toxicology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, USA.,Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of California, Davis, USA
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Singer LT, Moore DG, Min MO, Goodwin J, Turner JJD, Fulton S, Parrott AC. Motor delays in MDMA (ecstasy) exposed infants persist to 2 years. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2016; 54:22-8. [PMID: 26806601 PMCID: PMC4789145 DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2016.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2015] [Revised: 01/05/2016] [Accepted: 01/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recreational use of 3,4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine (ecstasy, MDMA) is increasing worldwide. Its use by pregnant women causes concern due to potentially harmful effects on the developing fetus. MDMA, an indirect monoaminergic agonist and reuptake inhibitor, affects the serotonin and dopamine systems. Preclinical studies of fetal exposure demonstrate effects on learning, motor behavior, and memory. In the first human studies, we found prenatal MDMA exposure related to poorer motor development in the first year of life. In the present study we assessed the effects of prenatal exposure to MDMA on the trajectory of child development through 2 years of age. We hypothesized that exposure would be associated with poorer mental and motor outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS The DAISY (Drugs and Infancy Study, 2003-2008) employed a prospective longitudinal cohort design to assess recreational drug use during pregnancy and child outcomes in the United Kingdom. Examiners masked to drug exposures followed infants from birth to 4, 12, 18, and 24 months of age. MDMA, cocaine, alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, and other drugs were quantified through a standardized clinical interview. The Bayley Scales (III) of Mental (MDI) and Motor (PDI) Development and the Behavior Rating Scales (BRS) were primary outcome measures. Statistical analyses included a repeated measures mixed model approach controlling for multiple confounders. RESULTS Participants were pregnant women volunteers, primarily white, of middle class socioeconomic status, average IQ, with some college education, in stable partner relationships. Of 96 women enrolled, children of 93 had at least one follow-up assessment and 81 (87%) had ≥ two assessments. Heavier MDMA exposure (M=1.3±1.4 tablets per week) predicted lower PDI (p<.002), and poorer BRS motor quality from 4 to 24 months of age, but did not affect MDI, orientation, or emotional regulation. Children with heavier exposure were twice as likely to demonstrate poorer motor quality as lighter and non-exposed children (O.R.=2.2, 95%, CI=1.02-4.70, p<.05). DISCUSSION Infants whose mothers reported heavier MDMA use during pregnancy had motor delays from 4 months to two years of age that were not attributable to other drug or lifestyle factors. Women of child bearing age should be cautioned about the use of MDMA and MDMA-exposed infants should be screened for motor delays and possible intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lynn T Singer
- Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, United States.
| | - Derek G Moore
- The University of East London, Docklands Campus, University Way, London E16 2RD, United Kingdom.
| | - Meeyoung O Min
- Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, United States.
| | - Julia Goodwin
- The University of East London, Docklands Campus, University Way, London E16 2RD, United Kingdom.
| | - John J D Turner
- The University of East London, Docklands Campus, University Way, London E16 2RD, United Kingdom.
| | - Sarah Fulton
- Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, United States.
| | - Andrew C Parrott
- Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea, Wales SA2 8PP, United Kingdom,.
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Collier TJ, O'Malley J, Rademacher DJ, Stancati JA, Sisson KA, Sortwell CE, Paumier KL, Gebremedhin KG, Steece-Collier K. Interrogating the aged striatum: robust survival of grafted dopamine neurons in aging rats produces inferior behavioral recovery and evidence of impaired integration. Neurobiol Dis 2015; 77:191-203. [PMID: 25771169 PMCID: PMC4402284 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2015.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2015] [Revised: 02/28/2015] [Accepted: 03/03/2015] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Advanced age is the primary risk factor for Parkinson's disease (PD). In PD patients and rodent models of PD, advanced age is associated with inferior symptomatic benefit following intrastriatal grafting of embryonic dopamine (DA) neurons, a pattern believed to result from decreased survival and reinnervation provided by grafted neurons in the aged host. To help understand the capacity of the aged, parkinsonian striatum to be remodeled with new DA terminals, we used a grafting model and examined whether increasing the number of grafted DA neurons in aged rats would translate to enhanced behavioral recovery. Young (3months), middle-aged (15months), and aged (22months) parkinsonian rats were grafted with proportionately increasing numbers of embryonic ventral mesencephalic (VM) cells to evaluate whether the limitations of the graft environment in subjects of advancing age can be offset by increased numbers of transplanted neurons. Despite robust survival of grafted neurons in aged rats, reinnervation of striatal neurons remained inferior and amelioration of levodopa-induced dyskinesias (LID) was delayed or absent. This study demonstrates that: 1) counter to previous evidence, under certain conditions the aged striatum can support robust survival of grafted DA neurons; and 2) unknown factors associated with the aged striatum result in inferior integration of graft and host, and continue to present obstacles to full therapeutic efficacy of DA cell-based therapy in this model of aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy J Collier
- Michigan State University, College of Human Medicine, Department of Translational Science and Molecular Medicine & The Udall Center of Excellence in Parkinson's Disease Research, 333 Bostwick Ave NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Jennifer O'Malley
- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Division of Child Neurology, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - David J Rademacher
- Lake Forest College, Department of Psychology, 555 N Sheridan Rd, Lake Forest, IL 60045, USA
| | - Jennifer A Stancati
- Michigan State University, College of Human Medicine, Department of Translational Science and Molecular Medicine & The Udall Center of Excellence in Parkinson's Disease Research, 333 Bostwick Ave NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Kellie A Sisson
- Michigan State University, College of Human Medicine, Department of Translational Science and Molecular Medicine & The Udall Center of Excellence in Parkinson's Disease Research, 333 Bostwick Ave NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Caryl E Sortwell
- Michigan State University, College of Human Medicine, Department of Translational Science and Molecular Medicine & The Udall Center of Excellence in Parkinson's Disease Research, 333 Bostwick Ave NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Katrina L Paumier
- Michigan State University, College of Human Medicine, Department of Translational Science and Molecular Medicine & The Udall Center of Excellence in Parkinson's Disease Research, 333 Bostwick Ave NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Kibrom G Gebremedhin
- Michigan State University, College of Human Medicine, Department of Translational Science and Molecular Medicine & The Udall Center of Excellence in Parkinson's Disease Research, 333 Bostwick Ave NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Kathy Steece-Collier
- Michigan State University, College of Human Medicine, Department of Translational Science and Molecular Medicine & The Udall Center of Excellence in Parkinson's Disease Research, 333 Bostwick Ave NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA.
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Ross EJ, Graham DL, Money KM, Stanwood GD. Developmental consequences of fetal exposure to drugs: what we know and what we still must learn. Neuropsychopharmacology 2015; 40:61-87. [PMID: 24938210 PMCID: PMC4262892 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2014.147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 251] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2014] [Revised: 05/29/2014] [Accepted: 06/02/2014] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Most drugs of abuse easily cross the placenta and can affect fetal brain development. In utero exposures to drugs thus can have long-lasting implications for brain structure and function. These effects on the developing nervous system, before homeostatic regulatory mechanisms are properly calibrated, often differ from their effects on mature systems. In this review, we describe current knowledge on how alcohol, nicotine, cocaine, amphetamine, Ecstasy, and opiates (among other drugs) produce alterations in neurodevelopmental trajectory. We focus both on animal models and available clinical and imaging data from cross-sectional and longitudinal human studies. Early studies of fetal exposures focused on classic teratological methods that are insufficient for revealing more subtle effects that are nevertheless very behaviorally relevant. Modern mechanistic approaches have informed us greatly as to how to potentially ameliorate the induced deficits in brain formation and function, but conclude that better delineation of sensitive periods, dose-response relationships, and long-term longitudinal studies assessing future risk of offspring to exhibit learning disabilities, mental health disorders, and limited neural adaptations are crucial to limit the societal impact of these exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily J Ross
- Chemical & Physical Biology Program, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Devon L Graham
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Kelli M Money
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Gregg D Stanwood
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- The Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
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Canales JJ, Ferrer-Donato A. Prenatal Exposure to Alcohol and 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (Ecstasy) Alters Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis and Causes Enduring Memory Deficits. Dev Neurosci 2014; 36:10-7. [DOI: 10.1159/000356820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2013] [Accepted: 10/25/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
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Singer LT, Moore DG, Min MO, Goodwin J, Turner JJD, Fulton S, Parrott AC. One-year outcomes of prenatal exposure to MDMA and other recreational drugs. Pediatrics 2012; 130:407-13. [PMID: 22908109 PMCID: PMC3428761 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2012-0666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/01/2012] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE A widely used illicit recreational drug among young adults, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) or ecstasy, is an indirect monoaminergic agonist/reuptake inhibitor affecting the serotonin system. Preclinical studies found prenatal exposure related to long-term learning and memory impairments. There are no studies of sequelae of prenatal MDMA exposure in humans, despite potential harmful effects to the fetus. METHODS A total of 96 women in the United Kingdom (28 MDMA users; 68 non-MDMA) were interviewed about recreational drug use during pregnancy. Their infants were seen at 12 months using standardized assessments of cognitive, language, and motor development (Preschool Language Scale, Bayley Mental and Motor Development and Behavior Rating Scales [Mental Development Index, Psychomotor Development Index, Behavioral Rating Scale]). Mothers completed the Child Domain Scale of the Parenting Stress Index, The Home Observation of the Environment Scale (in interview), the Brief Symptom Inventory, and the Drug Abuse Screening Test. Women were primarily middle class with some university education, in stable partner relationships, and polydrug users. MDMA and other drug effects were assessed through multiple regression analyses controlling for confounding variables, and analysis of covariance comparing heavier versus lighter and nonexposed groups. RESULTS Amount of prenatal MDMA exposure predicted poorer infant mental and motor development at 12 months in a dose-dependent manner. Heavily exposed infants were delayed in motor development. Lighter-exposed infants were comparable to nonexposed infants. There were no effects on language, emotional regulation, or parenting stress. CONCLUSIONS Findings document persistent neurotoxic effects of heavier prenatal MDMA exposure on motor development through the first year of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lynn T Singer
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA.
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