Acute DOB and PMA Administration Impairs Motor and Sensorimotor Responses in Mice and Causes Hallucinogenic Effects in Adult Zebrafish
Micaela Tirri, Luisa Ponzoni, Sabrine Bilel, Raffaella Arfè, Daniela Braida, Mariaelvina Sala, Matteo Marti
Brain Sciences August 25, 2020 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10090586 via DOAJ
Summary
DOB and PMA, two hallucinogenic compounds, were found to impair motor and sensorimotor responses in male mice, affecting spontaneous locomotion and startle/PPI responses. Additionally, these substances induced hallucinatory states in zebrafish, evidenced by reduced swimming activity and lower hallucinatory scores. The study highlights the potential effects of these new psychoactive substances on behavior.
Study at a glance
| Population | CD-1 male mice and zebrafish |
|---|---|
| Key finding | DOB and PMA administration impaired behaviors and startle/PPI responses in mice while promoting hallucinatory states in zebrafish. |
Abstract
The drastic increase in hallucinogenic compounds in illicit drug markets of new psychoactive substances (NPS) is a worldwide threat. Among these, 2, 5-dimetoxy-4-bromo-amphetamine (DOB) and paramethoxyamphetamine (PMA; marketed as “ecstasy”) are frequently purchased on the dark web and consumed for recreational purposes during rave/dance parties. In fact, these two substances seem to induce the same effects as MDMA, which could be due to their structural similarities. According to users, DOB and PMA share the same euphoric effects: increasing of the mental state, increasing sociability and empathy. Users also experienced loss of memory, temporal distortion, and paranoia following the repetition of the same thought. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the acute systemic administration of DOB and PMA (0.01–30 mg/kg; i.p.) on motor, sensorimotor (visual, acoustic, and tactile), and startle/PPI responses in CD-1 male mice. Moreover, the pro-psychedelic effect of DOB (0.075–2 mg/kg) and PMA (0.0005–0.5 mg/kg) was investigated by using zebrafish as a model. DOB and PMA administration affected spontaneous locomotion and impaired behaviors and startle/PPI responses in mice. In addition, the two compounds promoted hallucinatory states in zebrafish by reducing the hallucinatory score and swimming activity in hallucinogen-like states.