Contrasting effects of dopaminergic blockade on MDMA and d-amphetamine conditioned taste aversions

A series of experiments examined the role of dopamine in the conditioned taste aversion (CTA) produced by 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and d-amphetamine in rats. The CTA induced by MDMA (1.0 mg/kg) was unaffected by the D1 dopamine receptor antagonist SCH23390 (0.3 or 0.6 mg/kg), the D2 receptor antagonist raclopride (0.3 or 0.6 mg/kg), SCH23390 and raclopride combined (both 0.3 or 0.6 mg/kg), or the D1/D2 receptor antagonist haloperidol (0.4 mg/kg). In contrast, the CTA produced by d-amphetamine (0.5 mg/kg) was attenuated by SCH23390 and raclopride combined (both 0.3 mg/kg) as well as haloperidol (0.4 mg/kg), but not by SCH23390 (0.3 or 0.6 mg/kg) or raclopride (0.3 or 0.6 mg/kg) alone. These results suggest that dopamine plays different roles in MDMA and amphetamine CTAs, and that the D1 and D2 receptors independently mediate the aversive effect of amphetamine in CTA.