Behavioral effects of MDMA (ecstasy) on adult zebrafish.
3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ecstasy) is a potent psychedelic drug inducing euphoria and hypersociability in humans, as well as hyperactivity and anxiety in rodents. Adult zebrafish (Danio rerio) have become a widely used species in neurobehavioral research. Here, we explore the effects of a wide range (0.25-120 mgl) of acute MDMA doses on zebrafish behavior in the novel tank test. Although MDMA was inactive at lower doses (0.25-10 mgl), higher doses reduced bottom swimming and immobility (40-120 mgl) and impaired intrasession habituation (10-120 mgl). MDMA also elevated brain c-fos expression, collectively confirming the usage of zebrafish models for screening of hallucinogenic compounds.