New psychoactive substances: psychiatrist's view

Summary

New psychoactive substances (designer drugs) such as synthetic cannabinoids, cathinone derivatives, phenethylamines, stimulants, synthetic opioids, tryptamine derivatives, phencyclidine, piperazine, and GABA receptor agonists pose serious problems for consumers and physicians. Consumers are attracted by the intensity of psychoactive effects and the 'legal high' claimed by illicit manufacturers, which creates difficulties for laboratory identification. When ingested, these drugs affect multiple neurotransmitter pathways and receptors, including dopamine, cannabinoid CB1, GABA A/B, 5-HT2A, glutamate, and kappa-opioid receptors. Imbalances in these systems lead to the development of polymorphic psychotic disorders.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Appearing not long ago, new psychoactive substances (designer drugs), including synthetic cannabinoids, derivatives of cathinone, phenethylamines, new stimulants, synthetic opioids, tryptamine derivatives, phencyclidine, piperazine, the GABA (A/B) receptors agonists, have become a serious problem for consumers and for physicians. Consumers of these substances are attracted primarily by the intensity of psychoactive effects, and the «legal high» declared by the black manufacturers, which indicates that significant difficulties in a laboratory identification of new surfactants. Designer drugs, when ingested, can be influenced on many neurotransmitter pathways/receptors: dopamine, cannabinoid (CB1), GABA (A/B), 5-HT2A, glutamate, and k-opioid receptors (KOR), the imbalance of which leads to the development of polymorphic psychotic disorders.