The Reinforcing and Rewarding Effects of Methylone, a Synthetic Cathinone Commonly Found in “Bath Salts”
Journal of Addiction Research & Therapy December 1, 2012 L. Watterson, L. Hood, Kaveish Sewalia et al. 71 citations
Methylone, a synthetic cathinone sold as 'bath salts', acts as a reinforcer in rats, with higher doses leading to greater drug-seeking behavior. Short daily access to methylone produced more robust self-administration than previously seen with MDMA. However, extended daily access did not lead to increased intake or heightened reinforcing effects, unlike cocaine or methamphetamine. Methylone also showed a dose-dependent but non-significant trend toward lowering brain reward thresholds. These findings suggest methylone's addiction potential may be similar to or greater than MDMA, but its abuse and compulsive use potential appears lower than that of typical psychostimulants.