Mechanisms by which synthetic cathinones induce neurotoxicity

• Project/Area Number: 26460625
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Applied pharmacology
• Research Institution: Nagoya University
• Principal Investigator: NAKAJIMA Akira 名古屋大学, 医学系研究科, 講師 (20419237)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 織田 進吾 名古屋大学, 医学系研究科, 特任助教 (10725534)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2016)
• Budget Amount: ¥5,070,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,170,000); Fiscal Year 2016: ¥1,560,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥360,000); Fiscal Year 2015: ¥1,950,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥450,000); Fiscal Year 2014: ¥1,560,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥360,000)
• Keywords: 合成カチノン / 危険ドラッグ / ドーパミン / セロトニン / 神経毒性

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In the present study, we examined whether synthetic cathinones have neurotoxic effects in mice. Treatment with 4-bromomethcathinone induced the decrease in the expression of the tyrosine hydroxylase, a marker of dopaminergic neurons, in the striatum of C57BL/6J mice by 15% compared with that of saline-treated control mice. Furthermore, treatment with 4-bromomethcathinone induced the decrease in the expression of the serotonin transporter, a marker of serotonergic neurons, in the hippocampus of C57BL/6J mice by 25% compared with that of saline-treated control mice. These results suggest that 4-bromomethcathinone may have long-lasting toxic effects on dopaminergic and serotonergic neurons.