BACKGROUND One of the most devastating consequences of methamphetamine abuse is increased risk of psychosis. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor has been implicated in both psychosis and neuronal responses to methamphetamine. We therefore examined persistent psychosis-like behavioral effects of methamphetamine in brain-derived neurotrophic factor heterozygous mice. METHODS Mice were chronically...

CONTEXT A growing number of children reside with methamphetamine-abusing parents in homes where the illicit drug is produced. Yet, the effects of a methamphetamine environment on psychological child outcome are still unknown. PURPOSE To examine whether preschoolers who lived in methamphetamine-producing homes are at increased risk for developing psychological problems. METHODS The participa...

Methamphetamine use is on the rise, with an imminent upsurge of abuse and dependence reported across the United States. Currently, preliminary evidence suggests that methamphetamine dependence may cause long-term neural damage in humans, with concomitant deleterious effects on cognitive processes such as memory and attention. This selective review provides an outline and synthesis of studies th...

Methamphetamine hydrochloride, colloquially referred to as "crystal meth," is a potent psychoactive amphetamine derivate. Methamphetamine produces stimulant effects in the user including increased energy and alertness as well as inducing intense euphoric symptoms and suppressing appetite through its dopaminergic, serotonergic, and adrenergic actions. Use of methamphetamine can adversely affect ...

A preliminary review of substance abuse treatment admission data from 2001-2005 was conducted to explore the use of methamphetamine among American Indians in treatment programs funded by Los Angeles County. Comparisons were made between primary methamphetamine users and users whose primary drug was a substance other than methamphetamine. In that period, the number of American Indians reporting ...

Methamphetamine (MA) is a potent psychostimulant drug whose abuse has become a global epidemic in recent years. Firstly, this review article briefly discusses the epidemiology and clinical pharmacology of methamphetamine dependence. Secondly, the article reviews relevant animal literature modeling methamphetamine dependence and discusses possible mechanisms of methamphetamine-induced neurotoxic...

One of the core objectives of supply-side drug law enforcement is to reduce drug use by raising the cost of buying drugs. The effectiveness of this strategy depends on how illicit drug users respond to the rise in costs. The aim of the current study was to estimate how methamphetamine users would respond to changes in the prices of methamphetamine and heroin, using hypothetical drug purchasing ...

There is mounting evidence that the neuropeptide oxytocin is a possible candidate for the treatment of drug addiction. Oxytocin was shown to reduce methamphetamine self-administration, conditioned place-preference, hyperactivity and reinstatement in rodents, highlighting its potential for the management of methamphetamine addiction. Thus, we hypothesised that the central endogenous oxytocinergi...

Effects of single and repeated administration of pentazocine (5 times at intervals of 3-4 days) were compared with those of morphine and methamphetamine by means of ambulatory activity in mice. The interactions among these 3 drugs were also investigated. Pentazocine (25 mg/kg, s.c.), morphine (10 and 20 mg/kg, s.c.) and methamphetamine (2 mg/kg, s.c.) significantly increased the activity, and t...

Methamphetamine abuse has become a significant problem in the United States with recent surveys reporting that nearly 10 million Americans have tried methamphetamine at least once. Methamphetamine is a stimulant drug that causes the release of monoamine neurotransmitters. Among its most deleterious effects are its ability to produce tachycardia, hypertension, and ischemia. However, it also has ...