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Previous research reports have suggested the emergence of novel club drugs as “legal high” alternatives to illegal hallucinogenic or entactogenic drugs such as 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). Among these are recent reports of the use of psychoactive derivatives of 2-aminoindane, including 5-Iodo-2-aminoindan (5-IAI). While much is known about the effects of MDMA, little is known about the physiological and cognitive effects of 5-IAI. When considered in terms of exposure during the neuropsychological development period of adolescence, the available information is completely absent. In the present investigation, beginning at 35 days of age rats were given 20 mg/kg doses of 5-IAI or saline until the animals reached adulthood. Behavioral testing occurred in adulthood when the rats were 124 days old and had been drug free for 65 days. Our assessments included measures of general activity, stepdown passive avoidance, and a series of Morris water maze spatial and non-spatial memory tasks. Depending on task demands, the performance of 5-IAItreated rats was inferior to that of the saline control animals. However, unlike the changes seen following MDMA exposure, no differences in serotonin and dopamine levels were found. The results are discussed in the context of the disruptive effects that 5-IAI may have on adolescent brain development and how such compounds may contribute to cognitive deficits and maladaptive behavior.
