By increasing dopamine (DA) release and activating feedback mechanisms, amphetamine and related psychostimulants are known to inhibit DA cell firing. Here, we report that D-amphetamine also has an excitatory effect on DA cells, which under control conditions, is masked by the inhibitory effect of D-amphetamine and is revealed when D2-like receptors are blocked. Thus, using in vivo single-unit r...

Several amphetamine-like appetite suppressants are known to have cardiovascular adverse effects, in particular pulmonary arterial hypertension and cardiac valve disease. Is this also the case with methylphenidate, an amphetamine-like psychostimulant used in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (especially in children) and also in narcolepsy? Cases of pulmonary hypertension and heart valve d...

OBJECTIVE To test whether the occupational conditions of professional truck drivers are associated with amphetamine use after demographic characteristics and ones regarding mental health and drug use are controlled for.METHODS Cross-sectional study, with a non-probabilistic sample of 684 male truck drivers, which was collected in three highways in Sao Paulo between years 2012 and 2013. Demograp...

The effects of drugs on appetite and food intake are of potential interest to psychiatrists from both the practical and theoretical points of view. Of practical interest is the, by now well-recognized, observation that a number of drugs commonly used in the treatment of schizophrenia, such as chlorpromazine or fluphenazine, make patients feel very hungry (Robinson et al. 1975). As a consequence...

The purpose of the experiments was to examine the anxiety-related effects of d-amphetamine and nicotine, and the possible involvement of the endocannabinoid system. D-amphetamine (2 mg/kg, ip) was administered acutely or daily for 8 days. On the 9th day, mice were challenged with d-amphetamine (2 mg/kg, ip) or nicotine (0.1 mg/kg, sc), and were tested in the elevated plus maze. Additionally, a ...

Androgens are mainly prescribed to treat several diseases caused by testosterone deficiency. However, athletes try to promote muscle growth by manipulating testosterone levels or assuming androgen anabolic steroids (AAS). These substances were originally synthesized to obtain anabolic effects greater than testosterone. Although AAS are rarely prescribed compared to testosterone, their off-label...

The nucleus accumbens (NAc) plays a critical role in amphetamine-produced conditioned place preference (CPP). In previous studies inhibition or activation of cyclic adenosine monophosphate-dependent protein kinase (PKA) blocked NAc amphetamine-produced CPP. PKA activation unrelated to ongoing DA transmission may disrupt reward-related learning. Calcineurin (CN) down-regulates downstream PKA tar...