Synthetic cathinones, produced by a subtle chemical modification or a designed screening based on the structural basis of controlled drugs, are structurally and functionally similar to amphetamine‑type stimulants, which could induce similar or even stronger excitatory or hallucinatory effects, cognitive dysfunction, etc. Nowadays, with an increasing diversity, popularity and illegal potential, the abuse seriously endangers public health. However, the mechanisms of their toxicity damaging brain function are still unclear. As an overview of chemical structure, classification and pharmacological effects of synthetic cathinones, this review summarizes research advances of mechanisms, behavior disorder and neurocognitive dysfunction, and presents a series of recent behavioral and neurobiological results of methcathinone‑treated mice to shed light on the novel mechanism of synthetic cathinone abuse.