MDMA-induced indifference to negative sounds is mediated by the 5-HT2A receptor
This placebo-controlled study (n=20) found that individuals under the acute influence of MDMA (75mg) were less sensitive to negative sounds. The authors also found evidence that this may be related to the 5-HT2A receptor.
Authors
- Kim Kuypers
- Johannes Ramaekers
- Magí Farré
Published
Abstract
Background
MDMA has been shown to induce feelings of sociability, a positive emotional bias and enhanced empathy. While previous research has used only visual emotional stimuli, communication entails more than that single dimension and it is known that auditory information is also crucial in this process. In addition, it is, however, unclear what the neurobiological mechanism underlying these MDMA effects on social behaviour is. Previously, studies have shown that MDMA-induced emotional excitability and positive mood are linked to the action on the serotonin (5-HT) 2A receptor.
Aim
The present study aimed at investigating the effect of MDMA on processing of sounds (Processing of Affective Sounds Task (PAST)) and cognitive biases (Approach-Avoidance Task (AAT)) towards emotional and social stimuli and the role of 5-HT2A receptor in these effects.
Methods
Twenty healthy recreational users entered a 2 × 2, placebo-controlled, within-subject study with ketanserin (40 mg) as pre-treatment and MDMA (75 mg) as treatment. Behavioural (PAST, AAT) measures were conducted 90 min after treatment with MDMA, respectively, 120 min after ketanserin. Self-report mood measures and oxytocin concentrations were taken at baseline and before and after behavioural tests.
Results
Findings showed that MDMA reduced arousal elicited by negative sounds. This effect was counteracted by ketanserin pre-treatment, indicating involvement of the 5-HT2 receptor in this process. MDMA did not seem to induce a bias towards emotional and social stimuli. It increased positive and negative mood ratings and elevated oxytocin plasma concentrations. The reduction in arousal levels when listening to negative sounds was not related to the elevated subjective arousal.
Conclusion
It is suggested that this decrease in arousal to negative stimuli reflects potentially a lowering of defences, a process that might play a role in the therapeutic process.
Research Summary of 'MDMA-induced indifference to negative sounds is mediated by the 5-HT2A receptor'
Introduction
MDMA has been consistently shown in experimental studies to enhance emotional empathy, increase feelings of sociability, and promote a positive emotional bias, effects that have been linked to its actions on the serotonergic system. Prior research examining MDMA's prosocial effects has relied almost exclusively on visual emotional stimuli — tasks such as facial emotion recognition, the Reading the Mind in the Eyes test, and the Multifaceted Empathy Test — despite the fact that social communication is inherently multimodal and that auditory cues carry substantial affective information. The neurobiological mechanisms underlying MDMA's social effects remain incompletely characterised, though preliminary evidence has implicated the serotonin 2A (5-HT2A) receptor in MDMA-induced positive mood and emotional excitability. This study aimed to characterise MDMA's effects on the processing of affective auditory stimuli — a dimension previously unexamined — and to evaluate the role of the 5-HT2A receptor in these effects using the selective antagonist ketanserin as a pharmacological probe.
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Study Details
- Study Typeindividual
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- APA Citation
Kuypers, K. P. C., de la Torre, R., Farre, M., Pizarro, N., Xicota, L., & Ramaekers, J. G. (2018). MDMA-induced indifference to negative sounds is mediated by the 5-HT2A receptor. Psychopharmacology, 235(2), 481-490. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-017-4699-1
References (6)
Papers cited by this study that are also in Blossom
Bershad, A. K., Weafer, J. J., Kirkpatrick, M. G. et al. · Social Neuroscience (2016)
Carhart-Harris, R. L., Wall, M. B., Erritzoe, D. et al. · International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology (2013)
´dric, C., Hysek, M., Schmid, Y. et al. · Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience (2013)
Johansen, P. Ø., Krebs, T. S. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2009)
Van Wel, J. H. P., Kuypers, K. P. C., Theunissen, E. L. et al. · PLOS ONE (2012)
Vizeli, P., Liechti, M. E. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2017)
Cited By (5)
Papers in Blossom that reference this study
Haggarty, C. J., Bershad, A. K., Kumar, M. K. et al. · European Journal of Neurology (2024)
Chaliha, D., Mamo, J. C., Albrecht, M. et al. · Current Neuropharmacology (2021)
Preller, K. H., Vollenweider, F. X. · Frontiers in Psychiatry (2019)
Vizeli, P., Meyer Zu Schwabedissen, H. E., Liechti, M. E. · ACS Chemical Neuroscience (2018)
Kuypers, K. P. C., de la Torre, R., Farré, M. et al. · Scientific Reports (2018)
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