New/emerging psychoactive substances and associated psychopathological consequences
Fabrizio Schifano, Flavia Napoletano, Stefania Chiappini, Amira Guirguis, John Corkery, S. Bonaccorso, A Ricciardi, Norbert Scherbaum, Alessandro Vento
Psychological Medicine July 22, 2019 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291719001727 via OpenAlex
Summary
A novel web-crawling tool called NPS.Finder® identified several thousand new psychoactive substances (NPS)—roughly four times more than European and international drug agencies report. Synthetic cannabinoids, new synthetic opioids, ketamine-like dissociatives, novel stimulants, novel psychedelics, and certain prescription and over-the-counter medicines were most commonly linked to psychopathological consequences. The rapid proliferation of recreational psychotropics poses a challenge for psychiatry because the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of many NPS remain poorly understood. Health and mental health professionals need up-to-date information on the range of NPS, their intake methods, sought-after effects, drug combinations, and associated medical and psychopathological risks.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Psychopathology Medical prescription Synthetic cannabinoids Medicine Psychiatry |
| Citations | 118 |
| Key finding | Using the NPS.Finder® approach, a few thousand NPS were preliminarily identified—about four times more than figures from European and international drug agencies—and synthetic cannabinoids, new synthetic opioids, ketamine-like dissociatives, novel stimulants, novel psychedelics, and several prescription and over-the-counter medicines were most commonly associated with psychopathological consequences. |
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The present paper provides an updated review of both the large number of new/novel/emerging psychoactive substances (NPS) and their associated psychopathological consequences. Focus was here given on identification of those NPS being commented in specialised online sources and the related short-/long-term psychopathological and medical ill-health effects. METHODS: NPS have been identified through an innovative crawling/navigating software, called the 'NPS.Finder®', created in order to facilitate the process of early recognition of NPS online. A range of information regarding NPS, including chemical and street names; chemical formula; three-dimensional image and anecdotally reported clinical/psychoactive effects, were here made available. RESULTS: Using the 'NPS.Finder®' approach, a few thousand NPS were here preliminarily identified, a number which is about 4-fold higher than those figures suggested by European and international drug agencies. NPS most commonly associated with the onset of psychopathological consequences included here synthetic cannabinoids/cannabimimetics; new synthetic opioids; ketamine-like dissociatives; novel stimulants; novel psychedelics and several prescription and over-the-counter medicines. CONCLUSIONS: The ever-increasing changes in terms of recreational psychotropics' availability represent a relatively new challenge for psychiatry, as the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of many NPS have not been thoroughly understood. Health/mental health professionals should be informed about the range of NPS; their intake modalities; their psychoactive sought-after effects; the idiosyncratic psychotropics' combinations and finally, their medical and psychopathological risks.