Synthetic psychoactive cathinones: hypothermia and reduced lethality compared to methamphetamine and methylenedioxymethamphetamine

Prolonged seizure duration of electroconvulsive therapy in a patient pre-stimulated with transcranial direct current stimulation

“…In earlier reports, no differences in excitability have been reported when combining tDCS and methylphenidate [4], although this is contested by another study showing alterations in excitability upon combining tDCS and methylphenidate until the morning after the procedure [5]. Besides, it has been shown that mephedrone has the ability to induce seizures depending on the dose [6]. However, animal studies suggest that multiple tDCS sessions could provoke seizures [7], where reduced seizure thresholds could occur due to the cumulative action of electric stimulation [7].…”

Serotonin-releasing agents with reduced off-target effects

“…In our efforts to identify SERT-preferring releasing agents, we chose β-keto amphetamine-derived drugs (i.e., cathinone-derived drugs) as a starting scaffold based on the following rationale: (1) the existing literature has identified basic structure-activityrelationships (SAR) for cathinone compounds [16]; (2) stereochemistry dictates the pharmacological profile of monoamine release induced by cathinones at SERT, but not DAT [17][18][19][20], and (3) preclinical data indicate a reduced neurotoxic potential for cathinone-derived drugs when compared to their amphetamine counterparts e.g., MDMA [21,22]. Apart from widely prescribed medications, e.g., bupropion [23], cathinone-derived compounds are also recreationally consumed new psychoactive substances [16].…”

Central Effects of the Designer Drug Mephedrone in Mice—Basic Studies

“…Mephedrone can improve visuo-spatial associative memory and learning [ 34 ], but it may impair the working memory [ 35 ] and reference memory [ 36 ]. Moreover, it is known to disturb thermoregulation [ 10 , 18 , 37 , 38 ], temporarily diminish weight gain [ 26 ], induce relatively long-term alterations in the gut microbiome [ 5 ], reduce social preference ([ 39 ]; which is surprising given its pro-social effects in humans), display thermal antinociception [ 32 ], and to generate behavioral sensitization in relation to the repetitive movements [ 40 ] and to the total locomotor activity [ 30 , 41 ]. Similar to cocaine and amphetamines, this drug displays rewarding properties since it is readily self-administered by rats [ 18 ], facilitates intracranial self-stimulation in mice [ 42 ], and evokes conditioned place preference in rodents and planarians [ 41 , 43 ].…”

“…It has been reported that chronic use of mephedrone may result in tolerance and/or abstinence syndrome [ 44 ]. However, Muskiewicz et al [ 38 ] reported that mephedrone poses significantly less risk of overdose in comparison to methamphetamine or MDMA. Moreover, this synthetic cathinone does not induce higher lethality than the latter two drugs.…”