The Psychoactive Designer Drug and Bath Salt Constituent MDPV Causes Widespread Disruption of Brain Functional Connectivity.

ABSTRACT: The abuse of 'bath salts' has raised concerns because of their adverse effects, which include delirium, violent behavior, and suicide ideation in severe cases. The bath salt constituent 3,4-methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) has been closely linked to these and other adverse effects. The abnormal behavioral pattern produced by acute high-dose MDPV intake suggests possible disruptions of neural communication between brain regions. Therefore, we determined if MDPV exerts disruptive effects on brain functional connectivity, particularly in areas of the prefrontal cortex. Male rats were imaged following administration of a single dose of MDPV (0.3, 1.0, or 3.0 mg/kg) or saline. Resting state brain blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) images were acquired at 4.7 T. To determine the role of d

SUBMITTER: Colon-Perez LM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4946066 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature