---
title: "Psych News Alert: Why \"Bath Salts\" Are Addictive"
description: "New research by scientists at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) indicates that the active compounds in \"bath salts\" (mep..."
image: https://alert.psychnews.org/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/PURE_IVORY_Label-Jun-24-2025-07-18-00-3074-PM.gif
---

 12/22/11 12:00 AM

# Why "Bath Salts" Are Addictive

![Picture of Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Psych%20News%20Email%20Banners/PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png?width=50&name=PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png) [ Psychiatric News Alert ](https://alert.psychnews.org/author/psychiatric-news-alert)

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New research by scientists at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) indicates that the active compounds in "bath salts" (mephedrone and methylone) bind to monoamine transporters on the surface of some neurons. This in turn leads to an increase in the brain chemical serotonin, and to a lesser extent, dopamine, suggesting a mechanism that could underlie the addictive potential of these compounds.

"Our data demonstrate that designer methcathinone analogs are substrates for monoamine transporters, with a profile of transmitter-releasing activity comparable to 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, or 'ecstasy')," wrote NIDA researchers in the online December 14 *Neuropsychopharmacology*. "Given the widespread use of mephedrone and methylone, determining the consequences of repeated drug exposure warrants further study, " they said.

Read more about "bath salts" in *[Psychiatric News](http://psychnews.psychiatryonline.org/newsarticle.aspx?articleid=108495). *

(Image: Psychiatric News)

[addiction](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/addiction), [bath salts](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/bath-salts), [MDMA](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/mdma)

## Related posts

[![](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/pipette_81441802-Jun-24-2025-07-44-52-6800-PM.jpg?height=200&name=pipette_81441802-Jun-24-2025-07-44-52-6800-PM.jpg) ](https://alert.psychnews.org/2012/03/nida-seeks-solutions-to-synthetic-drug.html)

[NIDA](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/nida), [bath salts](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/bath-salts), [MDPV](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/mdpv)

## [NIDA Seeks Solutions To Synthetic Drug Detection](https://alert.psychnews.org/2012/03/nida-seeks-solutions-to-synthetic-drug.html)

![Picture of Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Psych%20News%20Email%20Banners/PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png?width=50&name=PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png) [Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/author/psychiatric-news-alert) 

 3/15/12 12:00 AM

[ Read more ](https://alert.psychnews.org/2012/03/nida-seeks-solutions-to-synthetic-drug.html)

[![](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/chemicals%20in%20test%20tubes_113808145-Jun-24-2025-10-25-04-1784-PM.jpg?height=200&name=chemicals%20in%20test%20tubes_113808145-Jun-24-2025-10-25-04-1784-PM.jpg) ](https://alert.psychnews.org/2012/10/alarm-raised-about-consequences-of-salt.html)

[drug abuse](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/drug-abuse), [NIDA](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/nida), [bath salts](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/bath-salts), [MDPV](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/mdpv)

## [Alarm Raised About Consequences of 'Bath Salt' Abuse](https://alert.psychnews.org/2012/10/alarm-raised-about-consequences-of-salt.html)

![Picture of Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Psych%20News%20Email%20Banners/PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png?width=50&name=PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png) [Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/author/psychiatric-news-alert) 

 10/18/12 12:00 AM

With concern growing nationwide about a rapidly spreading epidemic of abuse of the psychoactive...

[ Read more ](https://alert.psychnews.org/2012/10/alarm-raised-about-consequences-of-salt.html)

[![](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/shutterstock_133327382-4.jpg?height=200&name=shutterstock_133327382-4.jpg) ](https://alert.psychnews.org/2013/09/bath-salts-abuse-linked-to-nearly-23000.html)

[samhsa](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/samhsa), [emergency department visits](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/emergency-department-visits)

## [Bath Salts Abuse Linked to Nearly 23,000 ED Visits](https://alert.psychnews.org/2013/09/bath-salts-abuse-linked-to-nearly-23000.html)

![Picture of Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Psych%20News%20Email%20Banners/PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png?width=50&name=PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png) [Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/author/psychiatric-news-alert) 

 9/18/13 12:00 AM

A new federal report reveals that “bath salts,” a group of drugs containing amphetamine-type...

[ Read more ](https://alert.psychnews.org/2013/09/bath-salts-abuse-linked-to-nearly-23000.html)

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