Naked Science Forum
Life Sciences => Physiology & Medicine => Topic started by: akira on 24/09/2003 16:08:43
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A drug quite common among my generation and friends. Having tried it a few times in a relaxed environment (i.e friends flat) to certain music it was a rather 'awakening experience' from which the learning seems permeanent.
I was wondering if you guys knew of any research as to how excessive seretonin release (from resources on the net it seems the MDMA component of a tablet among other things causes this) would affect activity on a neuron/firing level - i.e neurotransmitter activity differences etc etc....
I would like to model it mathematically to a very general degree - to see if could solve a problem i am facing currently in my research.
cheers
E for Entropy
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The simple answer answer is it's impossible to say how an individual cell will respond to serotonin release. Because the response of a specific neurone depends upon the density of receptors that it expresses for serotonin, its proximity to the serotonin source and hence the concentration of serotonin that the cell 'sees', the tonic (baeline) activity of the cell, the coinicident arrival of other excitatory or inhibitory stimuli, local metabolism of serotonin, and even the size of the cell, many different neuronal populations will respond differently in different brain regions. This makes mathematically modelling the situation very difficult as there are too many unknown variables.
Chris
"I never forget a face, but in your case I'll make an exception"
- Groucho Marx
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I watched a show on telly the other night about the guy who (claims he) first introduced MDMA. Apparently it was initially used for therapeutic purposes to help people with behaviour disorders such as OCD. Interesting!
These days, the guy (forget his name) spends his time personally testing cactus extracts for hallucinogenic/medicinal purposes. Goodness!![xx(]
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MDMA was used in WW1 as truth serum and later as the therapeutic medicine. It's been around for a long time. That guy must be about 100 years old.
Or, maybe he's just sampling his cacti.
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Absolutely right. Merck pharmaceuticals first synthesised "Ecstasy" in 1914. It was originally intended for trench-troops as an appetite suppressant (because of its amphetamine like effects) but any hunger-suppressing benefits were minimal compared with its "hug-drug" effects which somewhat negated the point of being a soldier !!
As Genegenie asserts, ecstasy underwent a 'renaissance' in the late 50's and 60's when it was used in relationship counselling to try to make husband and wife see eye to eye. Unfortunately, due to its hallucinogenic and dissociative effects it probably had them seeing ear to ear and arm to arm !
I think some places (possibly in Switzerland) may still use it now and then, but the recreational scene is by far the largest with over half a million tablets being taken in the UK every week.
It is a dangerous drug, however, with potential long-term consequences for mental health although in terms of its acute safety aspirin and fishing are porbably more dangerous.
Chris
"I never forget a face, but in your case I'll make an exception"
- Groucho Marx
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It was only in the early nineties that it became illegal here in the states. It was one of those unclassified drugs and wasn't legal either. I remember going to clubs and they would sell two pills. Combined, they were MDMA. Separate, they were nothing...just two pills.
I agree, the affects of it couldn't possibly help in marriage counceling. Hehehe, "ear to ear". Although, it does help in pre-marital, um, relations.
I read where it can cause the body to "overheat" and shut down. Back in my club days, I researched it and it can be pretty dangerous. Whereas you cannot overdose on LSD, you can "flop" on MDMA. Nowadays, there are doctors at the raves that will test your "Ex" to see if it's safe to take. It's very controversial, but I believe it's a safe measure. They're going to take it anyway... Unless they know it's a bad batch.
Interesting history lesson. Thanks for the info, Chris.
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Thanks for that info Chris & Ians Daddy. I watched another show (I know, I watch way too much telly[:D]) that discussed adverse effects of long-term E use and showed brain images where the tissue had literally been destroyed!
In my clubbing days it was speed, LSD, and good ol' magic mushrooms (which grew profusely out of cow poops after a good rain). I'm sure they had their share of potential problems, but we appear to have survived with brains intact.