MDMA Pharmacology

MDMA standing for Methylene-dioxy-methyl-amphetamine acts both as a psychedelic and stimulant in the catecholaminergic psychedelic class also known as phenylethylamine psychedelics and amphetamine stimulants. MDMA works by increasing synaptic concentration of serotonin, norepinephrine, and to a lesser extent, dopamine. When the MDMA molecule crosses the blood brain barrier the chemical is shaped similar enough to serotonin to enter a serotonin transporter. Then the MDMA molecules inhibit the vesicular monoamine transporters (VMAT) which causes serotonin to be rapidly released from the vesicles housing it and accumulates in the cytosol. Finally, MDMA changes the direction of serotonin transporters to release excessive amounts of serotonin out of the neuron which floods into the synaptic cleft. Serotonin reuptake is inhibited and leaves massive amounts of serotonin in the synaptic cleft to stimulate serotonin receptors continuously causing them to fire.