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Effects of MDMA on neuroplasticity, amyloid burden and phospho-tau expression in APPswe/PS1dE9 mice

Sonia Abad1, Carla Ramon-Duaso1, Raúl López-Arnau1

  • 1Unitat de Farmacologia I Farmacognòsia, Facultat de Farmàcia, Institut de Biomedicina IBUB, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.

Journal of Psychopharmacology (Oxford, England)
|June 21, 2019
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Adolescent 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) use may increase Alzheimer's disease (AD) risk. MDMA exposure worsened memory deficits and promoted amyloid plaque formation in a mouse model, suggesting it contributes to AD pathology.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Pharmacology
  • Neurodegenerative Diseases

Background:

  • Adolescent 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) use is prevalent and linked to cognitive impairment.
  • MDMA-induced neural stress and maladaptive plasticity may increase vulnerability to neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer's disease (AD).
  • Emerging hypotheses suggest neural stressors can promote AD development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if chronic MDMA consumption increases vulnerability to Alzheimer's disease (AD).
  • To examine MDMA's effects on recognition memory in a transgenic AD mouse model.
  • To assess MDMA's neurotoxic and neuroplastic impacts in presymptomatic AD mice.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a transgenic mouse model of preclinical Alzheimer's disease (APP/PS1 dE9, Tg).
  • Administered MDMA chronically to assess impacts on recognition memory and neural markers.
  • Measured expression of plasticity markers (Arc, c-fos, BDNF, p-CREB), free choline levels, amyloid plaques, Aβ peptides, and tau phosphorylation.

Main Results:

  • MDMA-treated mice exhibited recognition memory deficits, irrespective of AD-related genotype.
  • MDMA significantly increased cortical amyloid plaques, Aβ40, Aβ42, and secreted APPβ levels in Tg mice.
  • MDMA also increased tau phosphorylation (S199) in Tg mice, independent of canonical pathways.

Conclusions:

  • Chronic MDMA consumption exacerbates AD pathology in a transgenic mouse model.
  • MDMA contributes to the amyloid cascade, a key feature of Alzheimer's disease.
  • Findings suggest a potential link between adolescent MDMA abuse and increased AD risk.
Keywords:
Alzheimer’s diseaseMDMAamyloid plaquesmemorymouse model

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