# Determining the effects of "bath salts" on cognitive control and functional brain connectivity

> **NIH NIH K25** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-IRVINE · 2020 · $188,740

## Abstract

Abstract
“Bath salts” or synthetic cathinones drugs potential of chronic use, ability to alter behaviors like cognitive
control and alterations in the brain makes them a significant healthcare concern. One of the most harmful bath
salts is 3,4-methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV). The adverse behavioral effects of MDPV can last days-to-
weeks possibly due to alteration in dopamine neurotransmissions. Research into drug has shown that MDPV is
similar pharmacologically to cocaine but longer lasting. However, an essential unexplored aspect of MDPV is
how it alters cognitive control and whether changed cognitive control underlies some of the most severe
behavioral outcomes of MDPV use. Cognitive control refers to a set of mental processes driving the
organization and mediation of goal-oriented behavior. In this grant, two specific cognitive control domains of
interest are flexibility and impulsivity. These two subprocesses are compromised in substance use disorders
and can lead to uncontrolled drug-seeking behavior. Using fMRI, we recently showed that after 24 hours an
acute MDPV administration in rats caused an increase in brain connectivity specifically in frontal cortical
regions such as orbitofrontal (OrF), infralimbic (IL), prelimbic (PL) and subcortical reward regions including
striatum, amygdala, and nucleus accumbens (NAc). These changes in connectivity could underlie some of the
most dangerous effects of MDPV by inducing long-lasting changes in the connectivity of cognitive control brain
circuitry. Therefore, we hypothesize that sustained self-administration of MDPV will increase functional
connectivity between the frontal cortex (PL, IL, and OrF), thalamus, amygdala, and NAc leading to impairments
in cognitive control functions. We will test this hypothesis using rodents trained to chronically self-administer
MDPV for ten days. The proposed research is designed to address existing gaps in our understanding of how
MDPV undermines cognitive control and which brain regions are most affected and calculating connectivity
changes in the brain with fMRI. In this project, the candidate will assess two subprocesses of cognitive control,
impulsivity, and flexibility. The behavior will be analyzed concerning functional connectivity changes of
longitudinal resting state fMRI (rsfMRI) data, and neuronal performance-dependent activity using activity
regulated cytoskeletal-associated gene (Arc) mRNA expression in rats. Carrying out the proposed research will
permit the candidate to incur in an independent research career integrating longitudinal studies of rsfMRI
connectivity, behavioral, and Arc cellular analysis into studies of drug use disorders.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9896808
- **Project number:** 5K25DA047458-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-IRVINE
- **Principal Investigator:** Luis M Colon-Perez
- **Activity code:** K25 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $188,740
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-04-01 → 2024-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9896808

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9896808, Determining the effects of "bath salts" on cognitive control and functional brain connectivity (5K25DA047458-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9896808. Licensed CC0.

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