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Serotonergic neurotoxicity — the example MDMA

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Das serotonerge System aus neurologischer und psychiatrischer Sicht

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Abstract

In contrast to the potential neurotoxic effects of several other neurotransmitters, serotonergic neurotoxicity is less explored in both the clinical and experimental setting. Although the selective neurotoxicity of serotonin is well-established, in the real world neurotoxic effects of this transmitter are equivocal. This is best exemplified by the designer drug MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine), a compound which receives a lot of public interest. However, in practice the pharmacology of MDMA itself is not well-defined, it is not known whether toxicity is direct or indirect, and although acute neurotoxic effects of MDMA are based on solid observations, chronic neurotoxicity remains unproven even though a number of claims have been published. From the scientific viewpoint, the contribution of serotonergic neurotoxicity to MDMA neurotoxicity, in particular in the chronic situation, remains ill-defined and awaits further clarification.

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  1. A. G. Ludolph
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  2. A. C. Ludolph
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  1. Neurologische Klinik der Ruhr-Universität Bochum, St. Josef-Hospital Gudrunstraße 56, 44791, Bochum

    Horst Przuntek  & Thomas Müller  & 

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Ludolph, A.G., Ludolph, A.C. (2005). Serotonergic neurotoxicity — the example MDMA. In: Przuntek, H., Müller, T. (eds) Das serotonerge System aus neurologischer und psychiatrischer Sicht. Steinkopff. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-7985-1537-9_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-7985-1537-9_3

  • Publisher Name: Steinkopff

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-7985-1499-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-7985-1537-6

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