“Ecstasy” to Addiction: Mechanisms and Reinforcing Effects of Three Synthetic Cathinone Analogs of MDMA
Neuropharmacology January 31, 2018 Sean B. Dolan, Zhenglan Chen, Renqi Huang et al.
Three synthetic cathinone analogs of MDMA—methylone, butylone, and pentylone—act as substrates at the serotonin transporter, producing inward currents there while having little effect at the dopamine transporter. In rats, all three compounds fully substituted for the discriminative stimulus effects of methamphetamine. Methylone and butylone fully substituted for MDMA and partially for DOM, whereas pentylone only partially substituted for MDMA and failed to substitute for DOM. The dopamine D1 receptor antagonist SCH23390 fully blocked methamphetamine-like effects but had minimal effect on MDMA-like effects. All compounds were robustly self-administered, with pentylone producing the greatest self-administration. These findings suggest that Ecstasy formulations adulterated with synthetic cathinones may drive more compulsive use than MDMA alone.