title: Effects of α-pyrrolidinopentiophenone and 4-methyl-N-ethylcathinone, two synthetic cathinones commonly found in second-generation "bath salts," on intracranial self-stimulation thresholds in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Use of synthetic cathinones, which are designer stimulants found in "bath salts," has increased dramatically in recent years. Following governmental bans of methylenedioxypyrovalerone, mephedrone, and methylone, a second generation of synthetic cathinones with unknown abuse liability has emerged as replacements.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using a discrete trials current intensity threshold intracranial self-stimulation procedure, the present study assessed the effects of 2 common second-generation synthetic cathinones, α-pyrrolidinopentiophenone (0.1-5 mg/kg) and 4-methyl-N-ethcathinone (1-100 mg/kg) on brain reward function. Methamphetamine (0.1-3 mg/kg) was also tested for comparison purposes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Results revealed both α-pyrrolidinopentiophenone and 4-methyl-N-ethcathinone produced significant intracranial self-stimulation threshold reductions similar to that of methamphetamine. α-Pyrrolidinopentiophenone (1 mg/kg) produced a significant maximal reduction in intracranial self-stimulation thresholds (~19%) most similar to maximal reductions produced by methamphetamine (1 mg/kg, ~20%). Maximal reductions in intracranial self-stimulation thresholds produced by 4-methyl-N-ethcathinone were observed at 30 mg/kg (~15%) and were comparable with those observed with methamphetamine and α-pyrrolidinopentiophenone tested at the 0.3-mg/kg dose (~14%). Additional analysis of the ED50 values from log-transformed data revealed the rank order potency of these drugs as methamphetamine ≈ α-pyrrolidinopentiophenone>4-methyl-N-ethcathinone.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data suggest that the newer second-generation synthetic cathinones activate the brain reward circuitry and thus may possess a similar degree of abuse potential as prototypical illicit psychostimulants such as methamphetamine as well as the first generation synthetic cathinone methylenedioxypyrovalerone, as previously reported.
authors.affiliation: Arizona State University, Department of Psychology, Behavioral Neuroscience Area, Tempe, Arizona (Dr Watterson, Mr Burrows, Mr Hernandez, and Dr Olive); Arizona State University Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Tempe, Arizona (Dr Olive); Discovery and Analytical Science, Research Triangle Institute International, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina (Drs Moore, Grabenauer, and Marusich). lrwatter@asu.edu.
authors.forename: Lucas R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Watterson
authors.affiliation: Arizona State University, Department of Psychology, Behavioral Neuroscience Area, Tempe, Arizona (Dr Watterson, Mr Burrows, Mr Hernandez, and Dr Olive); Arizona State University Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Tempe, Arizona (Dr Olive); Discovery and Analytical Science, Research Triangle Institute International, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina (Drs Moore, Grabenauer, and Marusich).
authors.forename: Brian T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Burrows
authors.affiliation: Arizona State University, Department of Psychology, Behavioral Neuroscience Area, Tempe, Arizona (Dr Watterson, Mr Burrows, Mr Hernandez, and Dr Olive); Arizona State University Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Tempe, Arizona (Dr Olive); Discovery and Analytical Science, Research Triangle Institute International, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina (Drs Moore, Grabenauer, and Marusich).
authors.forename: Raymundo D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Hernandez
authors.affiliation: Arizona State University, Department of Psychology, Behavioral Neuroscience Area, Tempe, Arizona (Dr Watterson, Mr Burrows, Mr Hernandez, and Dr Olive); Arizona State University Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Tempe, Arizona (Dr Olive); Discovery and Analytical Science, Research Triangle Institute International, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina (Drs Moore, Grabenauer, and Marusich).
authors.forename: Katherine N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.affiliation: Arizona State University, Department of Psychology, Behavioral Neuroscience Area, Tempe, Arizona (Dr Watterson, Mr Burrows, Mr Hernandez, and Dr Olive); Arizona State University Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Tempe, Arizona (Dr Olive); Discovery and Analytical Science, Research Triangle Institute International, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina (Drs Moore, Grabenauer, and Marusich).
authors.forename: Megan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grabenauer
authors.affiliation: Arizona State University, Department of Psychology, Behavioral Neuroscience Area, Tempe, Arizona (Dr Watterson, Mr Burrows, Mr Hernandez, and Dr Olive); Arizona State University Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Tempe, Arizona (Dr Olive); Discovery and Analytical Science, Research Triangle Institute International, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina (Drs Moore, Grabenauer, and Marusich).
authors.forename: Julie A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Marusich
authors.affiliation: Arizona State University, Department of Psychology, Behavioral Neuroscience Area, Tempe, Arizona (Dr Watterson, Mr Burrows, Mr Hernandez, and Dr Olive); Arizona State University Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Tempe, Arizona (Dr Olive); Discovery and Analytical Science, Research Triangle Institute International, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina (Drs Moore, Grabenauer, and Marusich).
authors.forename: M Foster
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Olive
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D015394:Molecular Structure; D010422:Pentanones / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011759:Pyrrolidines / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012653:Self Stimulation / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D010422:Pentanones; D011759:Pyrrolidines; D008694:Methamphetamine; C000592273:1-phenyl-2-(1-pyrrolidinyl)-1-pentanone
keywords: ICSS; abuse liability; bath salts; psychostimulants; synthetic cathinones