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Acute effects of the designer drugs benzylpiperazine (BZP) and trifluoromethylphenylpiperazine (TFMPP) using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and the Stroop task—a pilot study

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Abstract

Rationale

A novel group of designer drugs containing benzylpiperazine (BZP) and/or trifluoromethylphenylpiperazine (TFMPP) have been available worldwide for more than a decade; however, their effects on human brain function have not been extensively described.

Objectives

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study, the acute effects of BZP and TFMPP (alone and in combination) on the neural networks involved in executive function were investigated using an event-related Stroop functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) paradigm.

Methods

Thirteen healthy participants aged 18–40 years undertook the Stroop task 90 min after taking an oral dose of either BZP (200 mg), TFMPP (either 50 or 60 mg), BZP + TFMPP (100 + 30 mg) or placebo. A change in activity in neural regions reflects an increase in local demand for oxygen, due to an increase in neuronal activity.

Results

Relative to placebo, an increase in neural activation was observed in the dorsal striatum following BZP, and in the thalamus following TFMPP, when performing the Stroop task.

Conclusion

These data suggest that additional compensatory resources were recruited to maintain performance during the Stroop task. When BZP and TFMPP were administered together, both the dorsal striatum and thalamus were activated. However, the combination of BZP/TFMPP attenuated activation in the caudate, possibly due to TFMPP’s indirect effects on dopamine release via 5HT2C receptors.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Faculty Development Research Fund, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland.

The authors would like to thank Dr. Donald McLaren for his guidance with fMRI data analysis.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand

    Louise E. Curley, Michelle C. Robertson, Nicolas McNair, HeeSeung Lee & Bruce R. Russell

  2. Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand

    Louise E. Curley, Rob R. Kydd, Ian J. Kirk & Bruce R. Russell

  3. Department of Psychological Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand

    Rob R. Kydd

  4. Department of Statistics, Faculty of Science, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand

    Avinesh Pillai

  5. Department of Psychology, Faculty of Science, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand

    Ian J. Kirk

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  1. Louise E. Curley
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  3. Michelle C. Robertson
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Correspondence to Louise E. Curley.

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Curley, L.E., Kydd, R.R., Robertson, M.C. et al. Acute effects of the designer drugs benzylpiperazine (BZP) and trifluoromethylphenylpiperazine (TFMPP) using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and the Stroop task—a pilot study. Psychopharmacology 232, 2969–2980 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-015-3933-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-015-3933-y

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