• MDMA &
    Empathogenic
    Drugs

    Welcome Guest!
  • MDMA Moderators:

MDMA and oxytocin

BlueBull

Moderator: MDMA
Joined
Nov 3, 2012
Messages
3,159
I was reading through the MDMA wiki page and noticed the method of action is explained up to the binding to 5HT. However nothing is mentioned of how exactly the unique empathogenic properties are created. So I was wondering if things such as theories with some supporting research are allowed in the wiki?

I have a quote here from "Increased oxytocin concentrations and prosocial feelings in humans after ecstasy (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) administration" 2008, a study done on this matter. It seems to give some credibility to this theory, though it was only tested on rats.
MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine or “ecstasy”) is a recreationally used drug with remarkable and characteristic prosocial effects. In spite of abundant attention in the scientific literature, the mechanism of its prosocial effects has not been elucidated in humans. Recently, research in animals has suggested that the neuropeptide oxytocin may induce these effects. In a double blind, randomized, crossover, and placebo-controlled study in 15 healthy volunteers we assessed blood oxytocin and MDMA concentrations and subjective prosocial effects after oral administration of 100 mg MDMA or placebo. MDMA induced a robust increase of blood oxytocin concentrations and an increase of subjective prosocial feelings. Within subjects, the variations in these feelings were significantly and positively correlated with variation in oxytocin levels, and the correlations between these feelings and oxytocin were significantly stronger than those between these feelings and blood MDMA levels. MDMA induces oxytocin release in humans, which may be involved in the characteristic prosocial effects of ecstasy.

Another from "A role for oxytocin and 5-HT(1A) receptors in the prosocial effects of 3,4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine ("ecstasy")". by Thompson MR1, Callaghan PD, Hunt GE, Cornish JL, McGregor IS. 2007
The drug 3,4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA; ecstasy) has a widely documented ability to increase feelings of love and closeness toward others. The present study investigated whether oxytocin, a neuropeptide involved in affiliative behavior, may play a role in this effect. A moderate (5 mg/kg, i.p.) dose of MDMA increased social interaction in male Wistar rats, primarily by increasing the amount of time rats spent lying adjacent to each other. MDMA (5 mg/kg) activated oxytocin-containing neurons in the supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei of the hypothalamus, as shown by Fos immunohistochemistry. MDMA (5 mg/kg i.p.) also increased plasma oxytocin levels and this effect was prevented by pre-treatment with the 5-HT(1A) antagonist N-[2-[4-(2-methyoxyphenyl)-1-piperazinyl]ethyl]-N-2-pyridinylcyclohexanecarboxamide maleate salt (WAY 100,635; 1 mg/kg i.p.). The oxytocin receptor antagonist tocinoic acid (20 microg, i.c.v.) had no effect on social behavior when given alone but significantly attenuated the facilitation of social interaction produced by MDMA (5 mg/kg). The 5-HT(1A) agonist 8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)-tetraline) (8-OH-DPAT, 0.25 mg/kg, i.p.) increased social behavior in a similar way to MDMA and this effect was also significantly attenuated by tocinoic acid. Taken together, these results suggest that oxytocin release, stimulated by MDMA through 5-HT(1A) receptors, may play a key role in the prosocial effects of MDMA and underlie some of the reinforcing effects of the drug.

Unfortunately I can't read the studies in their entirety, but I think a mention of this could have it's place on the wiki page. If only as an added note, with mention it is based on preliminary research. It would in my opinion give some further insight into the substance and I think it's more than just a unfounded theory. If needed I would be glad to make a short summarizing text with some links to references

Anyways what do you guys think?

Thanks in advance for your reply

BlueBull
 
Last edited:
Top