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Impact of ambient temperature on hyperthermia induced by (+/-)3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine in rhesus macaques

Stefani N Von Huben1, Christopher C Lay, Rebecca D Crean

  • 11Molecular and Integrative Neurosciences Department, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.

Neuropsychopharmacology : Official Publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology
|April 28, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Ambient temperature influences 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) effects in rodents, but not in rhesus monkeys. Monkeys show consistent hyperthermia, suggesting they are a better model for human MDMA responses.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Pharmacology
  • Thermoregulation

Background:

  • Ambient temperature significantly impacts rodent responses to 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), influencing neurotoxicity models.
  • The thermoregulatory effects of MDMA in non-human primates and the influence of ambient temperature on hyperthermia remain poorly understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate whether ambient temperature affects MDMA-induced hyperthermia in non-human primates, similar to observations in rodents.
  • To compare the thermoregulatory responses of rhesus monkeys to MDMA across different ambient temperatures.

Main Methods:

  • Six male rhesus monkeys were continuously monitored for body temperature and activity using radiotelemetry.
  • Subjects received intramuscular injections of varying doses of MDMA (0.56-2.4 mg/kg) across three ambient temperatures (18, 24, and 30°C) in a randomized order.

Main Results:

  • MDMA administration resulted in significant body temperature increases across all tested doses and ambient temperatures.
  • The magnitude of the temperature increase was consistently around 1°C, indicating a controlled thermoregulatory response in monkeys.
  • While MDMA generally suppressed activity, a notable increase was observed at the lowest dose (0.56 mg/kg) under the highest ambient temperature (30°C).

Conclusions:

  • Rhesus monkeys exhibit a consistent degree of MDMA-induced hyperthermia across a range of ambient temperatures, unlike rodents.
  • Monkey thermoregulatory responses to MDMA appear more analogous to human responses than rodent responses.
  • Rhesus monkeys may serve as a more suitable preclinical model for studying MDMA-induced hyperthermia and its consequences.

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