Volume 10, Issue 4 (Autumn 2013)                   ASJ 2013, 10(4): 24-28 | Back to browse issues page

XML Print

Download citation:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:
Mirzaei F, Soleimani Asl S, Shahidi S, Hesam Shariati M B, Mehdizadeh M, Sohrabi M. Chronic and Sub-acute Effects of 3,4-methylenedioxy methamphetamine (MDMA) on Spatial Memory and Passive Avoidance Learning in Wistar Rats. ASJ 2013; 10 (4) :24-28
URL: http://anatomyjournal.ir/article-1-56-en.html
Chronic and Sub-acute Effects of 3,4-methylenedioxy methamphetamine (MDMA) on Spatial Memory and Passive Avoidance Learning in Wistar Rats
Fatemeh Mirzaei1 , Sara Soleimani Asl2 , Siamak Shahidi3 , Mohammad Bakhtiar Hesam Shariati1 , Mehdi Mehdizadeh4 , Maryam Sohrabi1
1- Anatomy Department, School of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
2- Research Center for Behavioral Disorders and Substance Abuse, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
3- Neurophysiology Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
4- Cellular & Molecular Research Center, Faculty of Advanced Technology in Medicne, Department of Anatomical Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Abstract:   (8511 Views)

Introduction: In the recent years, the use of several drugs such as cocaine and morphine has reduced, but the use of "club drugs" has increased in many countries. 3, 4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) which has known as ‘ecstasy’ among people has many harmful effects on serotonergic system in the brain. This system is responsible for learning and memory. In this study, we tested sub-acute and chronic effects of MDMA on spatial memory in the Morris water maze (MWM) task and passive avoidance tasks. 

Methods: 18 Adult male wistar rats (200-250 g) were given single or multiple injections of MDMA (10 mg/kg, IP) . Learning and spatial memory functions were assessed using passive avoidance and Morris water maze (MWM) tasks, respectively. Data was analyzed by SPSS 16 software and one- way analysis of variance (ANOVA) test. 
Results: The results showed that sub-acute and chronic administration of MDMA have adverse effects on escape latency, traveled distance and avoidance learning in the rats. The changes were more significant in sub-acute group. 
Conclusion: These data suggest that MDMA treatment impairs learning and memory performances that are more extensive in sub-acute group.
Keywords: 3, 4 Methylendioxymethamphetamine, Learning, Memory
Full-Text [PDF 769 kb]   (3506 Downloads)    
Type of Study: Original |
Received: 2013/05/20 | Accepted: 2013/09/19 | Published: 2013/11/1
Add your comments about this article : Your username or Email:
CAPTCHA
Rights and permissions
Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.