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CLINICAL STUDY: BRIEF REPORT: Ecstasy (MDMA)‐addicted subjects show increased serum levels of brain‐derived neurotrophic factor, independently from a rise of drug‐induced psychotic symptoms
Author(s) -
Angelucci Francesco,
Ricci Valerio,
Martinotti Giovanni,
Palladino Ilaria,
Spalletta Gianfranco,
Caltagirone Carlo,
Bria Pietro
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
addiction biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.445
H-Index - 78
eISSN - 1369-1600
pISSN - 1355-6215
DOI - 10.1111/j.1369-1600.2010.00221.x
Subject(s) - ecstasy , mdma , brain derived neurotrophic factor , neurotrophin , neurotrophic factors , psychology , nerve growth factor , dopaminergic , serotonergic , psychosis , hallucinogen , pharmacology , medicine , dopamine , neuroscience , psychiatry , serotonin , receptor
The recreational drug ‘ecstasy’[3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)] exerts a potent action on central serotonergic and dopaminergic neurons. These neurons utilize neurotrophins for their survival and function. In order to explore MDMA effects on neurotrophins, we measured by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay the serum levels of brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and nerve growth factor (NGF) in ‘ecstasy‐addicted’, ‘ecstasy‐addicted with signs of psychosis’ and ‘healthy’ subjects. We found that BDNF serum levels were significantly increased in both groups of ‘ecstasy‐addicted’ as compared with ‘healthy subjects’, supporting the hypothesis that BDNF is involved in MDMA action.