Frontiers in Neuroscience
April 19, 2016
Cristina Miliano, Giovanni Serpelloni, Claudia Rimondo et al.
195 citations
New psychoactive substances (NPS) are a diverse and rapidly expanding group of molecules sold as substitutes for controlled drugs, often consumed with other substances or alcohol, and linked to rising overdose deaths and emergency admissions. Their chemical classes include phenethylamines, piperazines, cathinones, tryptamines, and synthetic cannabinoids, with the latter accounting for 50% of newly identified NPS. Many NPS show addictive properties. This review examines the rewarding and addictive effects of cannabimimetics (JWH, HU, CP series) and amphetamine-like stimulants, including recent lab data showing that JWH-018, a potent CB1/CB2 agonist, increases dopamine signaling in the nucleus accumbens shell, contributing to dependence associated with 'Spice' use.
Experimental neurology
November 1, 2021
Matteo Marti, Giuseppe Talani, Cristina Miliano et al.
6 citations
Methoxetamine (MXE), a ketamine-like designer drug, alters serotonin levels in the rat medial prefrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens. Blocking serotonin 5-HT2 receptors with selective antagonists attenuated MXE's motor and sensory effects and prevented its reduction of prepulse inhibition, indicating these receptors are key to MXE's sensorimotor actions. In vitro, MXE inhibited NMDA-mediated field potentials and GABA-mediated spontaneous currents in a concentration-dependent manner but did not affect AMPA components or presynaptic glutamate release. The findings suggest MXE acts as an NMDA receptor antagonist, with 5-HT2 receptors crucial for its sensorimotor effects and NMDA and GABA receptors as additional targets.
International journal of molecular sciences
March 20, 2025
Sabrine Bilel, Cristina Miliano, Giorgia Corli et al.
3 citations
The synthetic psychedelic 25I-NBOMe, a selective 5HT2A receptor agonist abused as a counterfeit LSD, alters dopamine transmission, behavior, and synaptic plasticity in mice. At the highest dose tested (1 mg/kg), it increased dopamine levels in the nucleus accumbens shell. It also increased reaction time within 30 minutes after administration and disrupted prepulse inhibition, indicating sensorimotor gating deficits. In brain slices, 25I-NBOMe prevented long-term potentiation in the medial prefrontal cortex, an effect not reversed by a selective 5HT2A antagonist. These findings highlight risks of 25I-NBOMe use, including altered neurotransmission and impaired cognitive processes.
Current neuropharmacology
January 9, 2026
Maria Antonietta De Luca, Cristina Miliano, Amanda Roxburgh et al.
1 citation
Tablets sold as MDMA frequently contain psychoactive adulterants that vary by region and year, potentially increasing central nervous system harm. A review of studies from 2020 to 2025 covering Continental Europe, the UK, the USA, and Australia found that co-administration of MDMA with common adulterants can exacerbate noxious neurological and psychiatric effects. The composition of tablets differs across these regions, and interactions between MDMA and adulterants may explain some adverse effects seen in users. Expanding drug checking and public health efforts is essential to inform users, first responders, and healthcare professionals about these risks.