Effect of Some Psychoactive Drugs Used as ‘Legal Highs’ on Brain Neurotransmitters
Krystyna Gołembiowska, Alexandra Jurczak, Katarzyna Kamińska, Karolina Noworyta-Sokołowska, Anna Górska
Neurotoxicity Research April 1, 2016 DOI: 10.1007/s12640-015-9569-1 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Experimental study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Rat brain |
| Interventions | PMA PMMA MEPH MDMA |
| Dose | PMA 5 and 10 mg/kg, PMMA 5 and 10 mg/kg, MEPH 5, 10 and 20 mg/kg, MDMA 5 and 10 mg/kg |
| Topics | MDMA Serotonin |
| Keywords | Mephedrone Pma Pmma Da Rat brain |
| Key findings | PMA, PMMA, and mephedrone enhance the release of dopamine and serotonin in rat striatum, nucleus accumbens, and frontal cortex, similar to MDMA. |
Abstract
New psychoactive “designer drugs” are synthetic compounds developed to provide similar effects to illicit drugs of abuse, but not subjected to legal control. The rapidly changing legal status of novel psychoactive drugs triggers the development of new compounds, analogs of well-known amphetamine or mescaline. New designer drugs used as substitutes in ecstasy pills are the least investigated and can cause life-threatening effects on users. The aim of our research was to examine the effects of acute administration of 4-methoxyamphetamine (PMA, 5 and 10 mg/kg), 4-methoxy- N -methylamphetamine (PMMA, 5 and 10 mg/kg), and mephedrone (MEPH, 5, 10 and 20 mg/kg) on extracellular and tissue level of dopamine (DA), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and their metabolites in rat brain, by microdialysis method in freely moving animals and HPLC. Similarly to 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, 5 and 10 mg/kg) PMA, PMMA and MEPH enhanced the release of DA and 5-HT in rat striatum, nucleus accumbens, and frontal cortex. DA tissue content was increased by MEPH and PMMA in striatum, by MEPH, PMA, and PMMA in nucleus accumbens, and by PMA in frontal cortex. Instead, cortical DA level was decreased by MEPH and PMMA. MEPH did not influence 5-HT tissue level in striatum and nucleus accumbens, but decreased its level in frontal cortex. PMMA increased 5-HT content in striatum, while PMA enhanced it in nucleus accumbens and frontal cortex. Observed changes in brain monoamines and their metabolites by new psychoactive drugs suggest that these drugs may be capable of development of dependence. Further experiments are needed to fully investigate the neurotoxic and abuse potential of those drugs.
Comparable studies
Other experimental studies on MDMA, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amphetamine-type central nervous system stimulants release norepinephrine more potently than they release dopamine and serotonin | 2000 | Experimental study | |
| Methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA) and methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) cause selective ablation of serotonergic axon terminals in forebrain: immunocytochemical evidence for neurotoxicity Rat brain | 1988 | Experimental study | |
| The molecular mechanism of "ecstasy" [3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA)]: serotonin transporters are targets for MDMA-induced serotonin release. Human platelet plasma membrane vesicles and bovine adrenal chromaffin granule membrane... | 1992 | Laboratory study | |
| Oxytocin-dependent reopening of a social reward learning critical period with MDMA | 2019 | Experimental study | |
| Effects of certain hallucinogenic amphetamine analogs on the release of [3H]-serotonin from rat brain synaptosomes Rat whole brain synaptosomes | 1982 | Experimental study |
Citations in the library
Cited by 13
- Dark Classics in Chemical Neuroscience: 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine ACS Chemical Neuroscience July 12, 2018
- Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Aspects of Peyote and Mescaline: Clinical and Forensic Repercussions Current Molecular Pharmacology October 15, 2018
- Neurochemical and Behavioral Effects of a New Hallucinogenic Compound 25B-NBOMe in Rats Neurotoxicity Research December 18, 2020
- Serotonin concentration enhancers at clinically relevant doses reduce [11C]AZ10419369 binding to the 5-HT1B receptors in the nonhuman primate brain Translational Psychiatry July 16, 2018
- Acute DOB and PMA Administration Impairs Motor and Sensorimotor Responses in Mice and Causes Hallucinogenic Effects in Adult Zebrafish Brain Sciences August 25, 2020
and 8 more in the library
Cites 24
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- Dopamine D2-receptor knockout mice are protected against dopaminergic neurotoxicity induced by methamphetamine or MDMA Neurobiology of Disease March 22, 2021
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