OBJECTIVE It has been assumed that some behavioral changes associated with repeated exposure to dopaminergic psychostimulant drugs might be explained by changes in activity of dopamine receptors, including the dopamine D(1) receptor, which is linked by a stimulatory G protein to the effector enzyme adenylyl cyclase. To establish whether dopamine D(1) receptor function might be altered in human ...

BACKGROUND Nowadays there are more concerns about drug treatment of methamphetamine abusers whereas quality of life (QOL) related supportive psychotherapy is less credited. OBJECTIVES This study aimed to evaluate the effects of family-centered empowerment model on social support and QOL of methamphetamine users and their families. PATIENTS AND METHODS This study was a randomized clinical tr...

BACKGROUND Methamphetamine use among youth in the Western Cape Province of South Africa has increased at alarming rates over the past decade. Although current estimates of youth use exist, they range from 2 - 12%. OBJECTIVES To identify (i) the prevalence of methamphetamine use in Western Cape youth and (ii) the association between use and known risk factors for methamphetamine use. METHODS...

BACKGROUND Despite chemical similarities, ADHD stimulants and methamphetamine have distinct use patterns in the community. This study compared the characteristics of nonmedical ADHD stimulants users and methamphetamine users in a household sample. METHODS In data from the 2009-2011 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, adult and adolescent stimulant users were categorized into three mutuall...

BACKGROUND South Africa has a burgeoning problem of methamphetamine use, particularly in the Western Cape. Although methamphetamine has been associated with elevated psychological distress, there has been little examination of the mental health needs of out-of-treatment methamphetamine users in South Africa. OBJECTIVE To describe the mental health experiences and needs of out-of-treatment met...

Introduction:This study aims to investigate the attentional bias toward drug-related stimuli along with subjective craving after encountering such stimuli in methamphetamine users. Studies of cue reactivity have confirmed bias in attention and gaze to drug-related stimuli for most substances, but methamphetamine drugs are less studied by a direct measure such as eye tracking. Methods:Thirty ma...