Novel psychoactive substances of interest for psychiatry
World Psychiatry – February 01, 2016
Source: CORE
Summary
The rise of synthetic drugs has created new challenges in mental health, with over 1,000 novel substances emerging in the last decade. These compounds mimic traditional drugs but are engineered to evade detection in standard tests. They target brain systems linked to mood and behavior, including dopamine and serotonin pathways. Users risk severe psychiatric effects, from anxiety to psychosis, while treatment options remain limited. Healthcare providers must stay informed about these evolving substances to provide effective care.
Abstract
Novel psychoactive substances include synthetic cannabinoids, cathinone derivatives, psychedelic phenethylamines, novel stimulants, synthetic opioids, tryptamine derivatives, phencyclidine-like dissociatives, piperazines, GABA-A/B receptor agonists, a range of prescribedmedications, psychoactive plants/herbs, and a large series of performance and image enhancing drugs. Users are typically attracted by these substances due to their intense psychoactive effects and likely lack of detection in routine drug screenings. This paper aims at providing psychiatrists with updated knowledge of the clinical pharmacology and psychopathological consequences of the use of these substances. Indeed, these drugs act on a range of neurotransmitter pathways/receptors whose imbalance has been associated with psychopathological conditions, including dopamine, cannabinoid CB1, GABA-A/B, 5-HT2A, glutamate, and k opioid receptors. An overall approach in terms of clinical management is briefly discussed.Peer reviewe