Behavioral, neurochemical and pharmaco-EEG profiles of the psychedelic drug 4-bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine (2C-B) in rats.
Psychopharmacology January 1, 2013 Tomáš Páleníček, Michaela Fujáková, Martin Brunovský et al. 51 citations
The synthetic compound 2C-B produces a biphasic effect on movement in rats: initial inhibition followed by excitation, while amphetamine only causes hyperactivity. Both drugs disrupt prepulse inhibition of the acoustic startle reaction, a measure of sensory gating, but have opposite effects on the startle itself. 2C-B increases dopamine and decreases its metabolite DOPAC in the nucleus accumbens, a brain region linked to reward. Low doses of 2C-B reduce electrical brain activity and connectivity; a high dose first decreases then increases brain wave power and connectivity. Increases in theta and alpha brain waves correlate with heightened movement and dopamine levels. These results suggest 2C-B shares properties with hallucinogens, entactogens, and stimulants, and its dopamine effects may indicate psychotomimetic and addictive potential.