{"id":{"repo_id":"utmb","oai_identifier":"oai:utmb-ir.tdl.org:2152.3/75"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/utmb/oai:utmb-ir.tdl.org:2152.3/75","repository":{"repo_id":"utmb","name":"University of Texas Medical Branch","base_url":"https://utmb-ir.tdl.org/server/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Serotonin 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub> receptors: Role in (+)-MDMA sensitization and distribution in the ventral tegmental area","abstract":"Serotonin (5-HT) released consequent to acute (+)-3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine [(+)-MDMA; \\"ecstasy\\"] administration stimulates 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub> receptors (5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R) to exert inhibitory influence on (+)-MDMA-induced behaviors. Thus, changes in 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R responsiveness upon repeated intermittent exposure to (+)-MDMA may contribute to the development and/or expression of behavioral sensitization. We tested the hypothesis that intermittent exposure to (+)-MDMA or the 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R agonist MK 212 results in enhanced (+)-MDMA-evoked locomotor activity (\\"behavioral sensitization\\") concurrent with decreased functional responsiveness of the 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R. Male Sprague-Dawley rats pretreated with saline, (+)-MDMA, or MK 212 for 7 days revealed that (+)-MDMA or MK 212 pretreatment results in transient tolerance to MK 212-induced hypomotility, indicating loss of 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R responsiveness, that coincides with enhanced (+)-MDMA-evoked hyperactivity at an early (24 h) withdrawal time-point. This suggests a role for 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R in the induction and early expression of (+)-MDMA sensitization. While behavioral sensitization in (+)-MDMA-pretreated rats was transient and paralleled the time-course of diminished 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R responsiveness, MK 212-pretreated rats displayed persistent (> 2 wks) enhancement of (+)-MDMA-evoked hyperactivity despite recovery of 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R responsiveness. The loss of 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R responsiveness at 24h withdrawal was not linked to reduced 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R protein expression in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), nucleus accumbens (NAc), or prefrontal cortex in either (+)-MDMA- or MK 212-pretreated rats. However, an up-regulation of 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R protein expression was observed in the VTA at 2 wks withdrawal in MK 212-pretreated rats, which may contribute to the persistence of (+)-MDMA-evoked hyperactivity. The ability of 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R to limit the expression of (+)-MDMA-evoked hyperactivity is attributable to the inhibitory influence of 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R upon VTA dopamine (DA) neuron firing and DA release in the NAc. This effect may be mediated indirectly via depolarization of GABA neurons. However, we revealed (via double-label immunofluorescence and retrograde tracing) that 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R are located on both GABA and DA neurons in the VTA, a subset of which project to the NAc. Thus, the potential for a direct stimulatory effect of 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R upon DA mesocorticoaccumbens pathway activation also exists. This may predominate under certain conditions, such as in response to repeated 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R stimulation, as a result of modifications in 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R responsiveness.","abstract_html":"Serotonin (5-HT) released consequent to acute (+)-3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine [(+)-MDMA; \\"ecstasy\\"] administration stimulates 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub> receptors (5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R) to exert inhibitory influence on (+)-MDMA-induced behaviors. Thus, changes in 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R responsiveness upon repeated intermittent exposure to (+)-MDMA may contribute to the development and/or expression of behavioral sensitization. We tested the hypothesis that intermittent exposure to (+)-MDMA or the 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R agonist MK 212 results in enhanced (+)-MDMA-evoked locomotor activity (\\"behavioral sensitization\\") concurrent with decreased functional responsiveness of the 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R. Male Sprague-Dawley rats pretreated with saline, (+)-MDMA, or MK 212 for 7 days revealed that (+)-MDMA or MK 212 pretreatment results in transient tolerance to MK 212-induced hypomotility, indicating loss of 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R responsiveness, that coincides with enhanced (+)-MDMA-evoked hyperactivity at an early (24 h) withdrawal time-point. This suggests a role for 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R in the induction and early expression of (+)-MDMA sensitization. While behavioral sensitization in (+)-MDMA-pretreated rats was transient and paralleled the time-course of diminished 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R responsiveness, MK 212-pretreated rats displayed persistent (> 2 wks) enhancement of (+)-MDMA-evoked hyperactivity despite recovery of 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R responsiveness. The loss of 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R responsiveness at 24h withdrawal was not linked to reduced 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R protein expression in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), nucleus accumbens (NAc), or prefrontal cortex in either (+)-MDMA- or MK 212-pretreated rats. However, an up-regulation of 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R protein expression was observed in the VTA at 2 wks withdrawal in MK 212-pretreated rats, which may contribute to the persistence of (+)-MDMA-evoked hyperactivity. The ability of 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R to limit the expression of (+)-MDMA-evoked hyperactivity is attributable to the inhibitory influence of 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R upon VTA dopamine (DA) neuron firing and DA release in the NAc. This effect may be mediated indirectly via depolarization of GABA neurons. However, we revealed (via double-label immunofluorescence and retrograde tracing) that 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R are located on both GABA and DA neurons in the VTA, a subset of which project to the NAc. Thus, the potential for a direct stimulatory effect of 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R upon DA mesocorticoaccumbens pathway activation also exists. This may predominate under certain conditions, such as in response to repeated 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R stimulation, as a result of modifications in 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R responsiveness.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Marcy Jo Bubar"],"institution":"The University of Texas Medical Branch","degree_name":"PhD","degree_level":"Doctoral","degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["Kathryn A. Cunningham, Ph.D."],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":["T. Celeste Napier, Ph.D.","Mary L. Thomas, Ph.D.","Joel P. Gallagher, Ph.D.","Golda A. Kevetter-Leonard, Ph.D."],"year":2005,"date_issued":"2005-03-09","date_published":"2005-03-09","updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:50:48Z","subjects":["tyrosine hydroxylase","glutamic acid decarboxylase","FluoroGold"],"languages":["eng"],"rights":["Copyright © is held by the author. Presentation of this material on the TDL web site by The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston was made possible under a limited license grant from the author who has retained all copyrights in the works."],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["etd-03302005-192144"],"render_values":[{"text":"etd-03302005-192144","href":null,"code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/2152.3/75","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Kathryn A. 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Presentation of this material on the TDL web site by The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston was made possible under a limited license grant from the author who has retained all copyrights in the works."]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["etd-03302005-192144"]},{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/2152.3/75"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Serotonin (5-HT) released consequent to acute (+)-3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine [(+)-MDMA; \\"ecstasy\\"] administration stimulates 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub> receptors (5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R) to exert inhibitory influence on (+)-MDMA-induced behaviors. Thus, changes in 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R responsiveness upon repeated intermittent exposure to (+)-MDMA may contribute to the development and/or expression of behavioral sensitization. We tested the hypothesis that intermittent exposure to (+)-MDMA or the 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R agonist MK 212 results in enhanced (+)-MDMA-evoked locomotor activity (\\"behavioral sensitization\\") concurrent with decreased functional responsiveness of the 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R. Male Sprague-Dawley rats pretreated with saline, (+)-MDMA, or MK 212 for 7 days revealed that (+)-MDMA or MK 212 pretreatment results in transient tolerance to MK 212-induced hypomotility, indicating loss of 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R responsiveness, that coincides with enhanced (+)-MDMA-evoked hyperactivity at an early (24 h) withdrawal time-point. This suggests a role for 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R in the induction and early expression of (+)-MDMA sensitization. While behavioral sensitization in (+)-MDMA-pretreated rats was transient and paralleled the time-course of diminished 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R responsiveness, MK 212-pretreated rats displayed persistent (> 2 wks) enhancement of (+)-MDMA-evoked hyperactivity despite recovery of 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R responsiveness. The loss of 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R responsiveness at 24h withdrawal was not linked to reduced 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R protein expression in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), nucleus accumbens (NAc), or prefrontal cortex in either (+)-MDMA- or MK 212-pretreated rats. However, an up-regulation of 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R protein expression was observed in the VTA at 2 wks withdrawal in MK 212-pretreated rats, which may contribute to the persistence of (+)-MDMA-evoked hyperactivity. The ability of 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R to limit the expression of (+)-MDMA-evoked hyperactivity is attributable to the inhibitory influence of 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R upon VTA dopamine (DA) neuron firing and DA release in the NAc. This effect may be mediated indirectly via depolarization of GABA neurons. However, we revealed (via double-label immunofluorescence and retrograde tracing) that 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R are located on both GABA and DA neurons in the VTA, a subset of which project to the NAc. Thus, the potential for a direct stimulatory effect of 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R upon DA mesocorticoaccumbens pathway activation also exists. This may predominate under certain conditions, such as in response to repeated 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R stimulation, as a result of modifications in 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R responsiveness."]},{"key":"dc:format.medium","label":"Dc Format Medium","values":["electronic"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Serotonin 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub> receptors: Role in (+)-MDMA sensitization and distribution in the ventral tegmental area"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.advisor":["Kathryn A. Cunningham, Ph.D."],"dc:contributor.committeemember":["T. Celeste Napier, Ph.D.","Mary L. Thomas, Ph.D.","Joel P. Gallagher, Ph.D.","Golda A. Kevetter-Leonard, Ph.D."],"dc:creator":["Marcy Jo Bubar"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2011-12-20T16:04:29Z"],"dc:date.available":["2008-04-03","2011-12-20T16:04:29Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2005-03-09"],"dc:description.abstract":["Serotonin (5-HT) released consequent to acute (+)-3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine [(+)-MDMA; \\"ecstasy\\"] administration stimulates 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub> receptors (5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R) to exert inhibitory influence on (+)-MDMA-induced behaviors. Thus, changes in 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R responsiveness upon repeated intermittent exposure to (+)-MDMA may contribute to the development and/or expression of behavioral sensitization. We tested the hypothesis that intermittent exposure to (+)-MDMA or the 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R agonist MK 212 results in enhanced (+)-MDMA-evoked locomotor activity (\\"behavioral sensitization\\") concurrent with decreased functional responsiveness of the 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R. Male Sprague-Dawley rats pretreated with saline, (+)-MDMA, or MK 212 for 7 days revealed that (+)-MDMA or MK 212 pretreatment results in transient tolerance to MK 212-induced hypomotility, indicating loss of 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R responsiveness, that coincides with enhanced (+)-MDMA-evoked hyperactivity at an early (24 h) withdrawal time-point. This suggests a role for 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R in the induction and early expression of (+)-MDMA sensitization. While behavioral sensitization in (+)-MDMA-pretreated rats was transient and paralleled the time-course of diminished 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R responsiveness, MK 212-pretreated rats displayed persistent (> 2 wks) enhancement of (+)-MDMA-evoked hyperactivity despite recovery of 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R responsiveness. The loss of 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R responsiveness at 24h withdrawal was not linked to reduced 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R protein expression in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), nucleus accumbens (NAc), or prefrontal cortex in either (+)-MDMA- or MK 212-pretreated rats. However, an up-regulation of 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R protein expression was observed in the VTA at 2 wks withdrawal in MK 212-pretreated rats, which may contribute to the persistence of (+)-MDMA-evoked hyperactivity. The ability of 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R to limit the expression of (+)-MDMA-evoked hyperactivity is attributable to the inhibitory influence of 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R upon VTA dopamine (DA) neuron firing and DA release in the NAc. This effect may be mediated indirectly via depolarization of GABA neurons. However, we revealed (via double-label immunofluorescence and retrograde tracing) that 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R are located on both GABA and DA neurons in the VTA, a subset of which project to the NAc. Thus, the potential for a direct stimulatory effect of 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R upon DA mesocorticoaccumbens pathway activation also exists. This may predominate under certain conditions, such as in response to repeated 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R stimulation, as a result of modifications in 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub>R responsiveness."],"dc:format.medium":["electronic"],"dc:identifier.other":["etd-03302005-192144"],"dc:identifier.uri":["http://hdl.handle.net/2152.3/75"],"dc:language.iso":["eng"],"dc:rights":["Copyright © is held by the author. Presentation of this material on the TDL web site by The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston was made possible under a limited license grant from the author who has retained all copyrights in the works."],"dc:subject":["tyrosine hydroxylase","glutamic acid decarboxylase","FluoroGold"],"dc:title":["Serotonin 5-HT<sub/>2C</sub> receptors: Role in (+)-MDMA sensitization and distribution in the ventral tegmental area"],"thesis:degree_level":["Doctoral"],"thesis:degree_name":["PhD"],"thesis:institution_name":["The University of Texas Medical Branch"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:50:48Z"}