Nerve cells, called neurons, send messages to each other by releasing chemicals called neurotransmitters. Drugs affect this signaling process. Dopamine is the main neurotransmitter that relates to the brain's reward system — the system that tells us we feel good. Circuits in the reward system use dopamine to teach the brain to repeat actions we find pleasurable.
Drugs take control of this system, releasing large amounts of dopamine — first in response to the drug but later mainly in response to other cues associated with the drug, like when you see people you use drugs with, or plases where you use drugs.
The result is an intensive motivation to seek the drug. These drugs raise levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin. Learn more about how the brain works and what happens when a person uses drugs. And, check out how the brain responds to natural rewards and to drugs.
These reports show people who use bath salts have needed help for heart problems such as racing heart, high blood pressure, and chest pains and symptoms like paranoia, hallucinations, and panic attacks. They might also have dehydration, breakdown of muscle tissue attached to bones, and kidney failure. Read more about the link between viral infections and drug use. Intoxication from several man-made cathinones, including MDPV, mephedrone, methedrone, and butylone, has caused death among some people who have used bath salts.
Snorting or needle injection of bath salts seems to cause the most harm. Learn more about drug overdoses in youth. Another danger of "bath salts" is that they might contain other ingredients that cause their own harmful effects. There is no way to know what is in a dose of bath salts other than testing it in a lab. Our website uses cookies to enhance your experience. By continuing to use our site, or clicking "Continue," you are agreeing to our Cookie Policy Continue.
Save Preferences. Privacy Policy Terms of Use. Twitter Facebook. View Correction. This Issue. Views , Citations 4. View Metrics. Anita Slomski. A dangerous drug that lingers. Illegal but easy to find. Confounding the clinician. See More About Addiction Medicine.
Access your subscriptions. Access through your institution. Add or change institution. For example, hundreds of Molly capsules tested in two South Florida crime labs in contained methylone, a dangerous synthetic cathinone. Raised heart rate, blood pressure, and chest pain are some other health effects of synthetic cathinones. People who experience delirium often suffer from dehydration, breakdown of skeletal muscle tissue, and kidney failure.
The worst outcomes are associated with snorting or needle injection. Intoxication from synthetic cathinones has resulted in death. Yes, synthetic cathinones can be addictive. Animal studies show that rats will compulsively self-administer synthetic cathinones. Human users have reported that the drugs trigger intense, uncontrollable urges to use the drug again.
Taking synthetic cathinones can cause strong withdrawal symptoms that include:. As with all addictions, health care providers should screen for co-occurring mental health conditions. While there are no FDA-approved medicines for synthetic cathinone addiction, there are medicines available for common co-occurring conditions. This publication is available for your use and may be reproduced in its entirety without permission from NIDA.
Department of Health and Human Services. National Institutes of Health. Drug Topics.
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