Synthetic cathinones are a class of new psychoactive substances with a structure similar to amphetamine drugs, which can produce excitatory effects similar to drugs such as amphetamine and cocaine after being taken. In recent years, the abuse of synthetic cathinones worldwide has become increasingly serious, posing a serious threat to social security and public health. This article focuses on several common synthetic cathinones, collects their research results in animal autonomous activity experiments and drug dependence model experiments and summarizes their relevant experimental conclusions in animal body temperature regulation, learning and memory, and anxiety, in order to provide data reference and method guidance for the domestic development of related drug research.
Alkaloids/pharmacology* ; Amphetamine ; Animals ; Behavior, Animal ; Illicit Drugs

OBJECTIVE: To study the role of dopamine D3 receptor involved in the amphetamine-induced conditioned place preference (CPP) in mice. METHODS: The CPP was observed in D3 receptor knock-out (D3RKO) mice and C57BL/6 wild-type control mice after administration of amphetamine. The data were analyzed with a two-way ANOVA using the SPSS 13.0 software. RESULTS: D3RKO mice showed a significant amphetamine-induced CPP (P<0.001), compared with the ones administered with saline in C57BL/6 control mice. CONCLUSION The results indicate that amphetamine can produce significant CPP in dopamine D3 receptor knock-out mice, suggesting that amphetamine-induced addiction can be inhibited by dopamine D3 receptor.
Amphetamine/pharmacology* ; Animals ; Behavior, Animal/drug effects* ; Conditioning, Operant/drug effects* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Female ; Gene Knockout Techniques ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mice, Knockout ; Motor Activity/drug effects* ; Reaction Time ; Receptors, Dopamine D3/physiology*