3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) Induced Hyperthermia- The Role of Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines

Project Background The main MDMA-induced adverse effect is disruption of normal thermoregulation leading to life threatening hyperthermia which is exacerbated by high ambient temperature and linked to chronic neurotoxicity. Although the focus of the majority of research on MDMAinduced loss of thermoregulation has been on brain serotonergic and dopaminergic systems, results obtained from our recent studies suggest an association between microglial activation and MDMA-induced hyperthermia. We have demonstrated that pretreatment with minocycline, an antibiotic with glial attenuating properties, can significantly reduce the severity of MDMA-induced hyperthermia in rats. We have also demonstrated that minocycline’s ability to inhibit MDMA induced hyperthermia is time-dependent process and you need up to three days pre-treatment with minocycline to achieve maximum effects.