Neural Regeneration Research ›› 2020, Vol. 15 ›› Issue (5): 802-816.doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.268895

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Neuronal and peripheral damages induced by synthetic psychoactive substances: an update of recent findings from human and animal studies

Giulia Costa1, Maria Antonietta De Luca1, 2, Gessica Piras1, Jacopo Marongiu1, Liana Fattore3, Nicola Simola1, 2   

  1. 1 Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
    2 National Institute of Neuroscience (INN), University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
    3 National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Neuroscience, Cagliari, Italy
  • Online:2020-05-15 Published:2020-05-30
  • Contact: Nicola Simola, PhD,nicola.simola@unica.it or nicola.simola@gmail.com.
  • Supported by:
    GC was supported by the PRIN 2015 (Pr. 2015R9ASHT) and PON AIM (PON RICERCA E INNOVAZIONE 2014-2020, - AZIONE I.2. D.D. N.407 DEL 27 FEBBRAIO 2018 - “ATTRACTION AND INTERNATIONAL MOBILITY”); MDL was supported by Autonomous Region of Sardinia (RAS-FSC 2018, Codice intervento: RC_CRP_034; CUP RASSR03071); NS was supported by Fondazione di Sardegna (Progetti Biennali UniCA, Annualità 2017).

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Abstract: Preclinical and clinical studies indicate that synthetic psychoactive substances, in addition to having abuse potential, may elicit toxic effects of varying severity at the peripheral and central levels. Nowadays, toxicity induced by synthetic psychoactive substances poses a serious harm for health, since recreational use of these substances is on the rise among young and adult people. The present review summarizes recent findings on the peripheral and central toxicity elicited by “old” and “new” synthetic psychoactive substances in humans and experimental animals, focusing on amphetamine derivatives, hallucinogen and dissociative drugs and synthetic cannabinoids.

Key words: cannabinoids, dissociatives, hallucinogens, ketamine, MDMA, methamphetamine, methoxetamine, neuroinflammation, neurotoxicity, NPS