University of Sydney PhD student Craig Motbey used protein tracking to determine the parts of the rat brain activated by mephedrone. “When you look at the pattern of neurons activated by the mephedrone, it is as if the effect of ecstasy and the effect of methamphetamine on the brain’s neurons had been laid on top of each other,” he says.
“The findings confirm the anecdotal reports from mephedrone users that the drug combines the euphoric, sociable effects of ecstasy with an addictive hook comparable to drugs such as that
Users report meow meow, unlike ecstasy, stimulates a desire for a new dose within an hour. Motbey says that “surveys taken in the UK, where the drug has been widespread for longer, indicate that almost half of users consider it at least as addictive as cocaine”.
Motbey’s rodents seem to agree, seeking further doses frequently. However, Motbey says: “We didn’t notice any withdrawal symptoms once the drug was taken away, although that wasn’t something we were particularly looking for”.
Chemically mephedrone is similar to the amphetamine family, although its closest amphetamine relative is unknown as a recreational drug. Motbey says the similarities to ecstasy, that it is “pro-social and makes touch feel nice”, are chemically more of a coincidence, and the effects are very different from taking an ecstasy/amphetamine combination....
