How MDMA may enhance Sociability:An Hypothesis.
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MDMA(3,4 Methylenedioxymethylphenylisopropylamine) has been defined,together with
another molecule(Gamma-OH)as being a representative of a novel class of psychotropic
agents:the SOCIABILISERS.
Sociabilisers act by stimulating and enhancing natural sociability.
The sociabilising action of MDMA is,very probably, related to its indirect blockade of
serotonin
neurotransmission in a brain structure called the MEDIAN RAPHE NUCLEUS.When the Median
Raphe Nucleus is inactivated then sociability,spontaneously,appears.In fact,both
GAMMA-OH(gamma-hydroxybutyrate) and MDMA could act at a common site modulating
oxytocinergic neurotransmission(Oxytocin is postulated to be of crucial importance in
the expression of sociable states).The following hypothesis could link the effects on
sociability of these two molecules.Basically this hypothesis states that MDMA might be
an
indirect tyrosine hydroxylase activator(Gamma-OH is a direct tyrosine hydroxylase
activator) by suppressing the action of serotonin at post-synaptic 5-HT-IA
heteroreceptors,thus enhancing the activity of tyrosine hydroxylase in some
unidentified locus normally controlled by the release of serotonin from the Median
Raphe Nucleus.There is one molecule, called NAN-I9O ,which could help in evaluating
this hypothesis.GAMMA-OH is a pure sociabiliser while MDMA and MDMA-mimetics are
partial sociabilisers.At lo
w doses of MDMA the sociabilising action of this substance is masked by a
pro-serotoninergic action as MDMA is,also, a serotonin releaser.This effect of MDMA
produces a psychotropic action similar to the serotoninergic thymoanesthesisers such
as fluvoxamine,citalopram,sertraline,etc.At higher dosage the sociabilising action of
MDMA becomes manifest.Subjectively speaking 2.5gr of GAMMA-OH are equivalent to 2OOmgr
of MDMA.Haloperidol Imgr does not block the sociabilising actions of Gamma-OH while it
blocks
the dopaminergic effects of a dose of 2OOmgr of Amineptine,a dopamine re-uptake
blocker.Haloperidol might block the sociabilising effects of MDMA.This is not clear
yet and should be studied.