Neurological, sensorimotor and cardiorespiratory alterations induced by methoxetamine, ketamine and phencyclidine in mice

Neuropharmacology
Andrea OssatoMatteo Marti

Abstract

Novel psychoactive substances are intoxicating compounds developed to mimic the effects of well-established drugs of abuse. They are not controlled by the United Nations drug convention and pose serious health concerns worldwide. Among them, the dissociative drug methoxetamine (MXE) is structurally similar to ketamine (KET) and phencyclidine (PCP) and was created to purposely mimic the psychotropic effects of its "parent" compounds. Recent animal studies show that MXE is able to stimulate the mesolimbic dopaminergic transmission and to induce KET-like discriminative and rewarding effects. In light of the renewed interest in KET and PCP analogs, we decided to deepen the investigation of MXE-induced effects by a battery of behavioral tests widely used in studies of "safety-pharmacology" for the preclinical characterization of new molecules. To this purpose, the acute effects of MXE on neurological and sensorimotor functions in mice, including visual, acoustic and tactile responses, thermal and mechanical pain, motor activity and acoustic startle reactivity were evaluated in comparisons with KET and PCP to better appreciate its specificity of action. Cardiorespiratory parameters and blood pressure were also monitored in awake and ...Continue Reading

Citations

Jun 4, 2019·International Journal of Legal Medicine·Fabio De-GiorgioMatteo Marti
Jan 14, 2020·Psychopharmacology·Summer L ThompsonStephanie C Dulawa
Nov 19, 2019·Frontiers in Neuroscience·Sabrine BilelMatteo Marti
Feb 14, 2020·International Journal of Molecular Sciences·Monia LenziMatteo Marti
May 2, 2020·International Journal of Legal Medicine·Fabio De-GiorgioMatteo Marti
Jan 10, 2020·Frontiers in Pharmacology·Cristina MilianoMaria Antonietta De Luca
Sep 10, 2020·Brain Sciences·Liana FattoreMaria Paola Castelli

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