[Effects of the designer drug methylenedioxypyrovalerone on the developing brain in experimental animal model].

INTRODUCTION The designer drug methylenedioxypyrovalerone is a frequently used psychoactive drug of abuse. AIM The aim of this study was to determine the effect of methylenedioxypyrovalerone, administrated from the 8th to the 14th day of the gestation, on the development of central nervous system and on the behaviour of offspring mice. METHOD Pregnant mice were treated during this period either with subcutaneous injection of 1×10 mg/kg body weight methylenedioxypyrovalerone or vehicle (saline). Maternal behaviour (pup retrieval test), locomotor activity (open field test) and motor coordination (grip strength test) of dams were evaluated. Locomotor activity at the 7th and 21st postnatal day (open field test) and motor coordination at the 21st postnatal day (grip strength test) were examined. RESULTS Reduced maternal behaviour among treated animals was observed. There was no difference in the results of the open field test between treated and control groups. Decrease of locomotor activity was observed in the pups of the methylenedioxypyrovalerone treated dams. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that cathinones (in particular methylenedioxypyrovalerone) may adversely affect neural integrity of the developing central nervous system.