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Bath Salts: abuse-related and toxic effects

Award Number: R01DA039146
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 04/01/2015
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 03/31/2025

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Bath Salts: abuse-related and toxic effects - PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT “Designer drugs” burst onto the United States (US) recreational drug market in early 2009. By 2011, “bath salts,” which are most often mixtures of synthetic cathinones and other drugs such as caffeine, were linked to numerous press reports of bizarre and violent behavior, and accounted for well over 20,000 emergency room visits. Over the nearly 10 years since their introduction, the number of synthetic cathinones available for use has grown from 3 (MDPV, methylone, and mephedrone) to over 140. Based on work from our lab and others, we now know that the reinforcing effects of cathinones exist on a continuum, with drugs such as methylone functioning as relatively modest reinforcers (cocaine>methylone), and drugs such as MDPV, and α-PVP functioning as exceptionally powerful reinforcers capable of maintaining significantly greater levels of responding than either cocaine or methamphetamine. In addition evidence to show that the reinforcing effectiveness of cocaine and synthetic cathinones, such as MDPV and α-PVP, is directly related to their selectivity for DAT over SERT, our laboratory has also shown that these reinforcing (and toxic) effects can be synergistically enhanced when drugs such as MDPV and methylone are administered in combination with other “bath salts” constituents, such as caffeine. In the last 5 years, we have learned a great deal about the pharmacology and abuse-related effects of synthetic cathinones; however, over this same time the synthetic drug market and the landscape of recreational drug use more broadly have changed dramatically. In 2013, heroin began to supplant prescription opioids as opioid users’ drug of choice; by 2014, synthetic opioids, mainly fentanyl, had flooded the market. These changes coincided with a doubling of the incidence of opioid-related deaths, from ~25,000 in 2013 to >47,000 in 2017, over half of which (~28,000) were linked to synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl. Over this same time, overdose deaths related to stimulants (e.g., cocaine, methamphetamine and synthetic cathinones), have more than doubled over the same time from fewer than 10,000 in 2013, to over 24,000 in 2017. Moreover, it is becoming increasingly clear that these two phenomena are not occurring in isolation, with ~50% of opioid-related deaths involving stimulants, and ~50% of stimulant-related deaths also involving opioids. Thus, the US is in the midst of a polysubstance abuse epidemic, the effects of which are increasing at an exponential rate. This research project aims to 1) determine the impact of self-administration of α-PVP during adolescence on the development of compulsive drug taking and vulnerability to opioid abuse later in life; 2) characterize the interactions between the abuse-related and toxic effects of stimulants and opioids; and 3) examine the degree to which opioid dependence and withdrawal impact the nature of the interactions between the abuse-related and toxic effects of mixtures of stimulants and opioids. Together, these studies will provide essential information about the complexities associated with the co-use of multiple substances from different pharmacological classes that will advance efforts to develop novel and effective treatments for abuse-related and toxic effects of polysubstance abuse.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $360,105 )
2024	2024	THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER AT SAN ANTONIO	7703 FLOYD CURL DR	SAN ANTONIO	TX	78229	BEXAR	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	000	10	2/21/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$324,094
2024	2024	THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER AT SAN ANTONIO	7703 FLOYD CURL DR	SAN ANTONIO	TX	78229	BEXAR	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	001	10	4/30/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$36,011
														Subtotal = $360,105

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $360,105 )
2023	2023	UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER OF SAN ANTONIO	7703 FLOYD CURL DR	SAN ANTONIO	TX	78229	BEXAR	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	001	9	3/15/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$360,105
2023	2019	UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER OF SAN ANTONIO	7703 FLOYD CURL DR	SAN ANTONIO	TX	78229	BEXAR	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	000	5	11/21/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$0
														Subtotal = $360,105

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $360,105 )
2022	2022	UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER OF SAN ANTONIO	7703 FLOYD CURL DR	SAN ANTONIO	TX	78229	BEXAR	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	000	8	4/1/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$360,105
														Subtotal = $360,105

Issue Date FY: 2021 ( Subtotal = $359,175 )
2021	2021	UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER OF SAN ANTONIO	7703 FLOYD CURL DR	SAN ANTONIO	TX	78229	BEXAR	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	001	7	3/16/2021	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$359,175
2021	2019	UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER OF SAN ANTONIO	7703 FLOYD CURL DR	SAN ANTONIO	TX	78229	BEXAR	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	000	5	2/10/2021	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$0
														Subtotal = $359,175

Issue Date FY: 2020 ( Subtotal = $332,226 )
2020	2020	UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER OF SAN ANTONIO	7703 FLOYD CURL DR	SAN ANTONIO	TX	78229	BEXAR	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	001	6	5/11/2020	COMPETING CONTINUATION	$332,226
2020	2019	UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER OF SAN ANTONIO	7703 FLOYD CURL DR	SAN ANTONIO	TX	78229	BEXAR	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	000	5	5/11/2020	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$0
														Subtotal = $332,226

Issue Date FY: 2019 ( Subtotal = $343,125 )
2019	2019	UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER OF SAN ANTONIO	7703 FLOYD CURL DR	SAN ANTONIO	TX	78229	BEXAR	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	000	5	1/16/2019	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$343,125
														Subtotal = $343,125

Issue Date FY: 2018 ( Subtotal = $343,125 )
2018	2018	UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER OF SAN ANTONIO	7703 FLOYD CURL DR	SAN ANTONIO	TX	78229	BEXAR	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	001	4	4/26/2018	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$34,313
2018	2018	UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER OF SAN ANTONIO	7703 FLOYD CURL DR	SAN ANTONIO	TX	78229	BEXAR	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	000	4	1/25/2018	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$308,812
														Subtotal = $343,125

Issue Date FY: 2017 ( Subtotal = $343,125 )
2017	2017	UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER OF SAN ANTONIO	7703 FLOYD CURL DR	SAN ANTONIO	TX	78229	BEXAR	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	001	3	5/22/2017	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$34,313
2017	2017	UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER OF SAN ANTONIO	7703 FLOYD CURL DR	SAN ANTONIO	TX	78229	BEXAR	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	000	3	1/9/2017	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$308,812
														Subtotal = $343,125

Issue Date FY: 2016 ( Subtotal = $339,693 )
2016	2016	UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CTR AT SAN ANTONIO	7703 FLOYD CURL DRIVE	SAN ANTONIO	TX	78229	BEXAR	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	000	2	2/8/2016	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$339,693
														Subtotal = $339,693

Issue Date FY: 2015 ( Subtotal = $310,332 )
2015	2015	UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CTR AT SAN ANTONIO	7703 FLOYD CURL DRIVE	SAN ANTONIO	TX	78229	BEXAR	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	000	1	2/16/2015	NEW	$310,332
														Subtotal = $310,332

Grand Total All Awards = $3,451,116

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Bath Salts: abuse-related and toxic effects

Award Number: R01DA039146

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 04/01/2015

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 03/31/2025

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