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Serra M, Simola N, Pollack AE, Costa G. Brain dysfunctions and neurotoxicity induced by psychostimulants in experimental models and humans: an overview of recent findings. Neural Regen Res 2024; 19:1908-1918. [PMID: 38227515 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.390971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Preclinical and clinical studies indicate that psychostimulants, in addition to having abuse potential, may elicit brain dysfunctions and/or neurotoxic effects. Central toxicity induced by psychostimulants may pose serious health risks since the recreational use of these substances is on the rise among young people and adults. The present review provides an overview of recent research, conducted between 2018 and 2023, focusing on brain dysfunctions and neurotoxic effects elicited in experimental models and humans by amphetamine, cocaine, methamphetamine, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, methylphenidate, caffeine, and nicotine. Detailed elucidation of factors and mechanisms that underlie psychostimulant-induced brain dysfunction and neurotoxicity is crucial for understanding the acute and enduring noxious brain effects that may occur in individuals who use psychostimulants for recreational and/or therapeutic purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcello Serra
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Neuroscience, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Nicola Simola
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Neuroscience, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Alexia E Pollack
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts-Boston, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Giulia Costa
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Neuroscience, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
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Liang G, Li X, Yuan H, Sun M, Qin S, Wei B. Abnormal static and dynamic amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations in multiple brain regions of methamphetamine abstainers. MATHEMATICAL BIOSCIENCES AND ENGINEERING : MBE 2023; 20:13318-13333. [PMID: 37501489 DOI: 10.3934/mbe.2023593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Methamphetamine (meth) addiction is a significant social and public health problem worldwide. The relapse rate of meth abstainers is significantly high, but the underlying physiological mechanisms are unclear. Therefore, in this study, we performed resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) analysis to detect differences in the spontaneous neural activity between the meth abstainers and the healthy controls, and identify the physiological mechanisms underlying the high relapse rate among the meth abstainers. The fluctuations and time variations in the blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) signal of the local brain activity was analyzed from the pre-processed rs-fMRI data of 11 meth abstainers and 11 healthy controls and estimated the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) and the dynamic ALFF (dALFF). In comparison with the healthy controls, meth abstainers showed higher ALFF in the anterior central gyrus, posterior central gyrus, trigonal-inferior frontal gyrus, middle temporal gyrus, dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus, and the insula, and reduced ALFF in the paracentral lobule and middle occipital gyrus. Furthermore, the meth abstainers showed significantly reduced dALFF in the supplementary motor area, orbital inferior frontal gyrus, middle frontal gyrus, medial superior frontal gyrus, middle occipital gyrus, insula, middle temporal gyrus, anterior central gyrus, and the cerebellum compared to the healthy controls ($ P < 0.05 $). These data showed abnormal spontaneous neural activity in several brain regions related to the cognitive, executive, and other social functions in the meth abstainers and potentially represent the underlying physiological mechanisms that are responsible for the high relapse rate. In conclusion, a combination of ALFF and dALFF analytical methods can be used to estimate abnormal spontaneous brain activity in the meth abstainers and make a more reasonable explanation for the high relapse rate of meth abstainers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guixiang Liang
- Center for Medical Artificial Intelligence, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao 266000, China
- Qingdao Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao 266000, China
| | - Xiang Li
- Center for Medical Artificial Intelligence, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao 266000, China
- Qingdao Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao 266000, China
| | - Hang Yuan
- Center for Medical Artificial Intelligence, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao 266000, China
- Qingdao Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao 266000, China
| | - Min Sun
- Affiliation Shandong Detoxification Monitoring and Treatment Institute, Zibo 255000, China
| | - Sijun Qin
- Center for Medical Artificial Intelligence, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao 266000, China
- Qingdao Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao 266000, China
| | - Benzheng Wei
- Center for Medical Artificial Intelligence, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao 266000, China
- Qingdao Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao 266000, China
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3
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Marvi N, Haddadnia J, Fayyazi Bordbar MR. An automated drug dependence detection system based on EEG. Comput Biol Med 2023; 158:106853. [PMID: 37030264 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2023.106853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Substance abuse causes damage to the brain structure and function. This research aim is to design an automated drug dependence detection system based on EEG signals in a Multidrug (MD) abuser. METHODS EEG signals were recorded from participants categorized into MD-dependents (n = 10) and Healthy Control (HC) (n = 12). The Recurrence Plot investigates the dynamic characteristics of the EEG signal. The entropy index (ENTR) measured from the Recurrence Quantification Analysis was considered the complexity index of the delta, theta, alpha, beta, gamma, and all-band EEG signals. Statistical analysis was performed by t-test. The support vector machine technique was used for the data classification. RESULTS The results show decreased ENTR indices in the delta, alpha, beta, gamma, and all-band EEG signal and increased theta band in MD abusers compared to the HC group. That indicated the reduction of complexity in the delta, alpha, beta, gamma, and all-band EEG signals in the MD group. Additionally, the SVM classifier distinguished the MD group from the HC group with 90% accuracy, 89.36% sensitivity, 90.7% specificity, and 89.8% F1 score. CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE The nonlinear analysis of brain data was used to build an automatic diagnostic aid system that could identify HC people apart from those who abuse MD.
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Li Y, Cheng P, Liang L, Dong H, Liu H, Shen W, Zhou W. Abnormal resting-state functional connectome in methamphetamine-dependent patients and its application in machine-learning-based classification. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:1014539. [DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.1014539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) has been widely analyzed in substance use disorders (SUDs), including methamphetamine (MA) dependence. Most of these studies utilized Pearson correlation analysis to assess rsFC, which cannot determine whether two brain regions are connected by direct or indirect pathways. Moreover, few studies have reported the application of rsFC-based graph theory in MA dependence. We evaluated alterations in Tikhonov regularization-based rsFC and rsFC-based topological attributes in 46 MA-dependent patients, as well as the correlations between topological attributes and clinical variables. Moreover, the topological attributes selected by least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) were used to construct a support vector machine (SVM)-based classifier for MA dependence. The MA group presented a subnetwork with increased rsFC, indicating overactivation of the reward circuit that makes patients very sensitive to drug-related visual cues, and a subnetwork with decreased rsFC suggesting aberrant synchronized spontaneous activity in subregions within the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) system. The MA group demonstrated a significantly decreased area under the curve (AUC) for the clustering coefficient (Cp) (Pperm < 0.001), shortest path length (Lp) (Pperm = 0.007), modularity (Pperm = 0.006), and small-worldness (σ, Pperm = 0.004), as well as an increased AUC for global efficiency (E.glob) (Pperm = 0.009), network strength (Sp) (Pperm = 0.009), and small-worldness (ω, Pperm < 0.001), implying a shift toward random networks. MA-related increased nodal efficiency (E.nodal) and altered betweenness centrality were also discovered in several brain regions. The AUC for ω was significantly positively associated with psychiatric symptoms. An SVM classifier trained by 36 features selected by LASSO from all topological attributes achieved excellent performance, cross-validated prediction area under the receiver operating characteristics curve, accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and kappa of 99.03 ± 1.79, 94.00 ± 5.78, 93.46 ± 8.82, 94.52 ± 8.11, and 87.99 ± 11.57%, respectively (Pperm < 0.001), indicating that rsFC-based topological attributes can provide promising features for constructing a high-efficacy classifier for MA dependence.
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Sizova M, Camacho V, Sampedro F, Sabaté-Llobera A, Abouzian S, Stefaneli P, Duch J, Fernández-León A, López-Mora DA, Estorch M, Carrió I, Flotats A. Brain metabolic changes in patients with disseminated malignant melanoma under immunotherapy. Melanoma Res 2022; 32:334-342. [PMID: 35703175 DOI: 10.1097/cmr.0000000000000835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Although there is evidence that chemotherapy can have side effects on metabolism and brain function, there are few studies on the occurrence of these side effects with immunotherapy. The present study was conducted to assess whether brain metabolic changes occur in patients with malignant melanoma under immunotherapy. Thirty-nine patients after surgical intervention and with a diagnosis of malignant melanoma were retrospectively included and were divided into two groups: one group under the first-line therapy with anti-programmed cell death-1 ± anti-cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 monoclonal antibodies and the other group without any treatment after surgery, which served as a control. Basal and follow-up whole body and brain 2-[ 18 F]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose ( 18 F]FDG) PET/computed tomography (CT) studies were performed. Changes in brain glucose metabolism after treatment initiation of the immunotherapy group were compared with the findings in the control group. In addition, longitudinal regression analysis to investigate whether the time under immunotherapy influenced the changes of brain metabolism was performed. None of the patients presented cognitive impairment or other neurological alterations between basal and follow-up brain [ 18 F]FDG PET/CT examinations. The statistical analysis revealed a significant relative SUV (SUVr)-loss in the left frontal region in patients of the immunotherapy group compared with the control group, with radjusted = -0.62 and P = 0.008. Severity of SUVr-loss was correlated with duration of treatment. Patients with disseminated malignant melanoma receiving immunotherapy may present a decrease of brain metabolism in the left frontal region, which is related with time-under-treatment, without any clinical evidence of neurological disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Sizova
- Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
| | - Valle Camacho
- Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
| | - Frederic Sampedro
- Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
- Institut de Recerca de l'Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Safae Abouzian
- Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
| | | | - Joan Duch
- Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
| | | | | | | | - Ignasi Carrió
- Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
| | - Albert Flotats
- Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
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Eslami Shahrbabaki M, Barfehie D, Mazhari S, Ahmadi A, Shafiee S. Comparing Cognitive Functions in Patients with Schizophrenia and Methamphetamine-Induced Psychosis with Healthy Controls. ADDICTION & HEALTH 2022; 14:239-243. [PMID: 37559792 PMCID: PMC10408749 DOI: 10.34172/ahj.2022.1143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2020] [Accepted: 09/12/2020] [Indexed: 08/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There are similar findings about the similarities and differences of cognitive dysfunctions in patients with schizophrenia and methamphetamine-induced psychosis (MIP). This study aimed to compare cognitive functioning in schizophrenia and MIP patients, using a performance-based cognitive assessment battery and an interview-based assessment of cognition. METHODS Three groups participated in this study including, (a) 30 patients with MIP, (b) 30 patients with schizophrenia, and (c) 30 healthy individuals. All participants received the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia (BACS), a standardized performance-based cognitive battery, the Schizophrenia Cognition Rating Scale (SCoRS), and the interview-based assessment of cognition. FINDINGS Both groups of patients with schizophrenia and MIP performed poorly on all the BACS cognitive domains compared with the healthy controls. The two patient groups were significantly different on the three BACS subscales including verbal fluency, verbal memory, and speed of information processing. Schizophrenia patients performed worse than the MIP group concerning these three subscales. However, the two patient groups were similar in executive function, working memory, and motor speed. Moreover, the SCoRS-informant, SCoRS-global, and PANSS-negative significantly differed between schizophrenia and MIP patients. CONCLUSION Although cognitive dysfunctions are mostly similar in patients with MIP and schizophrenia, there are some differences especially in the functions related to prefrontal and temporal lobes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahin Eslami Shahrbabaki
- Neuroscience Research Center and Institute of Neuropharmacology, Psychiatry Department, Afzalipour School of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Delaram Barfehie
- Neurology Research Center, Afzalipour School of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Shahrzad Mazhari
- Neuroscience Research Center and Institute of Neuropharmacology, Psychiatry Department, Afzalipour School of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Atefeh Ahmadi
- Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Institute for Futures Studies in Health, Department of Counselling in Midwifery, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Shahideh Shafiee
- Psychiatry Department, Neurology Research Center, Afzalipour School of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
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Kuebler IRK, Jolton JA, Hermreck C, Hubbard NA, Wakabayashi KT. Contrasting dose-dependent effects of acute intravenous methamphetamine on lateral hypothalamic extracellular glucose dynamics in male and female rats. J Neurophysiol 2022; 128:819-836. [PMID: 36043803 PMCID: PMC9529272 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00257.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Revised: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Glucose is the brain's primary energetic resource. The brain's use of glucose is dynamic, balancing delivery from the neurovasculature with local metabolism. Although glucose metabolism is known to differ in humans with and without methamphetamine use disorder (MUD), it is unknown how central glucose regulation changes with acute methamphetamine experience. Here, we determined how intravenous methamphetamine regulates extracellular glucose levels in a brain region implicated in MUD-like behavior, the lateral hypothalamus (LH). We measured extracellular LH glucose in awake adult male and female drug-naive Wistar rats using enzyme-linked amperometric glucose biosensors. Changes in LH glucose were monitored during a single session after: 1) natural nondrug stimuli (novel object presentation and a tail-touch), 2) increasing cumulative doses of intravenous methamphetamine (0.025, 0.05, 0.1, and 0.2 mg/kg), and 3) an injection of 60 mg of glucose. We found second-scale fluctuations in LH glucose in response to natural stimuli that differed by both stimulus type and sex. Although rapid, second-scale changes in LH glucose during methamphetamine injections were variable, slow, minute-scale changes following most injections were robust and resulted in a reduction in LH glucose levels. Dose and sex differences at this timescale indicated that female rats may be more sensitive to the impact of methamphetamine on central glucose regulation. These findings suggest that the effects of MUD on healthy brain function may be linked to how methamphetamine alters extracellular glucose regulation in the LH and point to possible mechanisms by which methamphetamine influences central glucose metabolism more broadly.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Enzyme-linked glucose biosensors were used to monitor lateral hypothalamic (LH) extracellular fluctuations during nondrug stimuli and intravenous methamphetamine injections in drug-naive awake male and female rats. Second-scale glucose changes occurred after nondrug stimuli, differing by modality and sex. Robust minute-scale decreases followed most methamphetamine injections. Sex differences at the minute-scale indicate female central glucose regulation is more sensitive to methamphetamine effects. We discuss likely mechanisms underlying these fluctuations, and their implications in methamphetamine use disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel R K Kuebler
- Neurocircuitry of Motivated Behavior Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska
| | - Joshua A Jolton
- Neurocircuitry of Motivated Behavior Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska
| | - Chase Hermreck
- Neurocircuitry of Motivated Behavior Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska
| | - Nicholas A Hubbard
- Neurocircuitry of Motivated Behavior Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska
| | - Ken T Wakabayashi
- Neurocircuitry of Motivated Behavior Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska
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Hazani HM, Naina Mohamed I, Muzaimi M, Mohamed W, Yahaya MF, Teoh SL, Pakri Mohamed RM, Mohamad Isa MF, Abdulrahman SM, Ramadah R, Kamaluddin MR, Kumar J. Goofballing of Opioid and Methamphetamine: The Science Behind the Deadly Cocktail. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:859563. [PMID: 35462918 PMCID: PMC9021401 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.859563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Globally, millions of people suffer from various substance use disorders (SUD), including mono-and polydrug use of opioids and methamphetamine. Brain regions such as the cingulate cortex, infralimbic cortex, dorsal striatum, nucleus accumbens, basolateral and central amygdala have been shown to play important roles in addiction-related behavioral changes. Clinical and pre-clinical studies have characterized these brain regions and their corresponding neurochemical changes in numerous phases of drug dependence such as acute drug use, intoxication, craving, withdrawal, and relapse. At present, many studies have reported the individual effects of opioids and methamphetamine. However, little is known about their combined effects. Co-use of these drugs produces effects greater than either drug alone, where one decreases the side effects of the other, and the combination produces a prolonged intoxication period or a more desirable intoxication effect. An increasing number of studies have associated polydrug abuse with poorer treatment outcomes, drug-related deaths, and more severe psychopathologies. To date, the pharmacological treatment efficacy for polydrug abuse is vague, and still at the experimental stage. This present review discusses the human and animal behavioral, neuroanatomical, and neurochemical changes underlying both morphine and methamphetamine dependence separately, as well as its combination. This narrative review also delineates the recent advances in the pharmacotherapy of mono- and poly drug-use of opioids and methamphetamine at clinical and preclinical stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanis Mohammad Hazani
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, The National University of Malaysia, Cheras, Malaysia
| | - Isa Naina Mohamed
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, The National University of Malaysia, Cheras, Malaysia
| | - Mustapha Muzaimi
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kota Bharu, Malaysia
| | - Wael Mohamed
- Basic Medical Science Department, Kulliyyah of Medicine, International Islamic University Malaysia, Kuantan, Malaysia
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Menoufia University, Shebin El-Kom, Egypt
| | - Mohamad Fairuz Yahaya
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, National University of Malaysia, Cheras, Malaysia
| | - Seong Lin Teoh
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, National University of Malaysia, Cheras, Malaysia
| | | | | | | | - Ravi Ramadah
- National Anti-Drugs Agency Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Mohammad Rahim Kamaluddin
- Centre for Research in Psychology and Human Well-Being, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, The National University of Malaysia, Bangi, Malaysia
| | - Jaya Kumar
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, The National University of Malaysia, Cheras, Malaysia
- *Correspondence: Jaya Kumar,
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Gupta M, Gupta N, Esang M, Antai A, Moll J. Refractory Methamphetamine-Induced Psychosis: An Emerging Crisis in Rural America and the Role of Amantadine in Therapeutics. Cureus 2022; 14:e22871. [PMID: 35392446 PMCID: PMC8979574 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.22871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
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Cornish JL, Prasad AA. Sex Differences in Substance Use Disorders: A Neurobiological Perspective. Front Glob Womens Health 2021; 2:778514. [PMID: 34957467 PMCID: PMC8692274 DOI: 10.3389/fgwh.2021.778514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Clinical studies provide fundamental knowledge of substance use behaviors (substance of abuse, patterns of use, relapse rates). The combination of neuroimaging approaches reveal correlation between substance use disorder (SUD) and changes in neural structure, function, and neurotransmission. Here, we review these advances, placing special emphasis on sex specific findings from structural neuroimaging studies of those dependent on alcohol, nicotine, cannabis, psychostimulants, or opioids. Recent clinical studies in SUD analyzing sex differences reveal neurobiological changes that are differentially impacted in common reward processing regions such as the striatum, hippocampus, amygdala, insula, and corpus collosum. We reflect on the contribution of sex hormones, period of drug use and abstinence, and the potential impact of these factors on the interpretation of the reported findings. With the overall recognition that SUD impacts the brains of females and males differentially, it is of fundamental importance that future research is designed with sex as a variable of study in this field. Improved understanding of neurobiological changes in males and females in SUD will advance knowledge underlying sex-specific susceptibility and the neurobiological impact in these disorders. Together these findings will inform future treatments that are tailor designed for improved efficacy in females and males with SUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L Cornish
- School of Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Asheeta A Prasad
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Faculty of Medicine and Health, School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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Fucoxanthin alleviates methamphetamine-induced neurotoxicity possibly via the inhibition of interaction between Keap1 and Nrf2. J Funct Foods 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jff.2021.104713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
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12
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Altered patterns of fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation and regional homogeneity in abstinent methamphetamine-dependent users. Sci Rep 2021; 11:7705. [PMID: 33833282 PMCID: PMC8032776 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-87185-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Methamphetamine (MA) could induce functional and structural brain alterations in dependent subjects. However, few studies have investigated resting-state activity in methamphetamine-dependent subjects (MADs). We aimed to investigate alterations of brain activity during resting-state in MADs using fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (fALFF) and regional homogeneity (ReHo). We analyzed fALFF and ReHo between MADs (n = 70) and healthy controls (HCs) (n = 84) and performed regression analysis using MA use variables. Compared to HCs, abstinent MADs showed increased fALFF and ReHo values in the bilateral striatum, decreased fALFF in the left inferior frontal gyrus, and decreased ReHo in the bilateral anterior cingulate cortex, sensorimotor cortex, and left precuneus. We also observed the fALFF values of bilateral striatum were positively correlated with the age of first MA use, and negatively correlated with the duration of MA use. The fALFF value of right striatum was also positively correlated with the duration of abstinence. The alterations of spontaneous cerebral activity in abstinent MADs may help us probe into the neurological pathophysiology underlying MA-related dysfunction and recovery. Since MADs with higher fALFF in the right striatum had shorter MA use and longer abstinence, the increased fALFF in the right striatum might implicate early recovery during abstinence.
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Lewis D, Kenneally M, van denHeuvel C, Byard RW. Methamphetamine deaths: Changing trends and diagnostic issues. MEDICINE, SCIENCE, AND THE LAW 2021; 61:130-137. [PMID: 33423599 DOI: 10.1177/0025802420986707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The term 'amphetamine' refers to a class of synthetic drugs which includes methamphetamine. The latter is a globally popular drug of abuse which induces euphoria, affecting cognitive/psychomotor performance and sleep. It also provokes risk taking and violent behaviour. The central effects of methamphetamine are due to the overproduction of neurotransmitters, resulting in high levels of dopamine. In recent years, there have been significant increases in cases of methamphetamine abuse in North and South America, Australia and Asia due to its ready availability and low cost. The following review examines changing trends in methamphetamine use and problems that arise diagnostically in medico-legal cases in determining the significance of post-mortem blood levels, the relationship of these to ante-mortem levels, the possible effects on physical and psychological behaviours and the possible contribution of the drug to a lethal episode.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Lewis
- Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Australia
| | | | | | - Roger W Byard
- Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Australia
- Forensic Science SA, Australia
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14
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Boerwinkle AH, Meeker KL, Luckett P, Ances BM. Neuroimaging the Neuropathogenesis of HIV. Curr HIV/AIDS Rep 2021; 18:221-228. [PMID: 33630240 DOI: 10.1007/s11904-021-00548-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW This review highlights neuroimaging studies of HIV conducted over the last 2 years and discusses how relevant findings further our knowledge of the neuropathology of HIV. Three major avenues of neuroimaging research are covered with a particular emphasis on inflammation, aging, and substance use in persons living with HIV (PLWH). RECENT FINDINGS Neuroimaging has been a critical tool for understanding the neuropathological underpinnings observed in HIV. Recent studies comparing levels of neuroinflammation in PLWH and HIV-negative controls show inconsistent results but report an association between elevated neuroinflammation and poorer cognition in PLWH. Other recent neuroimaging studies suggest that older PLWH are at increased risk for brain and cognitive compromise compared to their younger counterparts. Finally, recent findings also suggest that the effects of HIV may be exacerbated by alcohol and drug abuse. These neuroimaging studies provide insight into the structural, functional, and molecular changes occurring in the brain due to HIV. HIV triggers a strong neuroimmune response and may lead to a cascade of events including increased chronic inflammation and cognitive decline. These outcomes are further exacerbated by age and age-related comorbidities, as well as lifestyle factors such as drug use/abuse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna H Boerwinkle
- Department of Neurology, Washington University in St. Louis, School of Medicine, Campus Box 8111, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Karin L Meeker
- Department of Neurology, Washington University in St. Louis, School of Medicine, Campus Box 8111, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Patrick Luckett
- Department of Neurology, Washington University in St. Louis, School of Medicine, Campus Box 8111, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Beau M Ances
- Department of Neurology, Washington University in St. Louis, School of Medicine, Campus Box 8111, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA.
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Kulu M, Özarslan Y, Ozsoy F, Karamustafalıoğlu O. Optical Coherence Tomography findings in patients with Multiple Substance Use Disorder. Cutan Ocul Toxicol 2021; 40:37-44. [PMID: 33555206 DOI: 10.1080/15569527.2021.1874007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) is a relatively new diagnosis method displaying biological tissue layers by with high-resolution sections. In the present study, the purpose was to examine the OCT findings of patients with Multiple Substance Use Disorder (MSUD) by comparing these findings with healthy controls. METHODS The study included 30 MSUD and 30 controls. Detailed biomicroscopic examinations were carried out for all participants, and intraocular pressure, followed by OCT. The central macular thickness (CMT), mean macular thickness (MMT), mean macular volume (MMV), and retinal nerve fibre layer thickness (RNFL) were measured by using OCT. RESULTS It was determined that the MMT and CMT were thinned in both eyes compared to the healthy controls. The MMV was decreased in both eyes in patients with substance use disorders compared to healthy controls. The RNFL and total thickness were thickened in temporal and inferior parts in patients with MSUD in both eyes compared to healthy. In the superior quadrant, thickening was detected only in the left eye. CONCLUSIONS Based on our results obtained here, it was concluded that vision-related findings should be carefully questioned and evaluated when treatment is planned for patients with substance use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Müberra Kulu
- Clinic of Psychiatry, Tokat Mental Health and Diseases Hospital, Tokat, Turkey
| | - Yakup Özarslan
- Clinic of Ophthalmology, Tokat State Hospital, Tokat, Turkey
| | - Filiz Ozsoy
- Clinic of Psychiatry, Tokat State Hospital, Tokat, Turkey
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Kuitunen-Paul S, Roessner V, Basedow LA, Golub Y. Beyond the tip of the iceberg: A narrative review to identify research gaps on comorbid psychiatric disorders in adolescents with methamphetamine use disorder or chronic methamphetamine use. Subst Abus 2020; 42:13-32. [PMID: 32870121 DOI: 10.1080/08897077.2020.1806183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Methamphetamine use disorder (MUD) frequently begins in adolescence, often accompanied by other psychiatric or mental disorders. Up to now, no comprehensive review about MUD and comorbid disorders in adolescents is available. We thus aimed to review the literature on comorbid mental disorders and MUD in adolescents in order to identify future research topics. Method: A PubMed search was conducted in July 2019. Relevant comorbidities were defined as attention-deficit disorder with/without hyperactivity, anxiety disorders, depression, eating disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, psychosis, borderline personality disorder, conduct disorder and antisocial personality disorder, as well as other substance use disorders. For each comorbidity, we summarized prevalence rates, findings on comorbidity mechanisms, and recommended treatment options, if applicable. Results: Few articles focused on MUD in adolescents. Prevalence rates differed largely between comorbid disorders, with tobacco use disorder, conduct disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorders, and attention-deficit disorders being the most prevalent comorbidities while eating disorders were rare. Examined onset patterns and comorbidity mechanisms indicated three groups of comorbidities: preexisting disorders self-medicated with methamphetamine, disorders induced by chronic methamphetamine use, and disorders arising due to risk factors shared with MUD. Reviewed comorbidities were frequently associated with worse treatment outcomes. Conclusions: The limited evidence is in stark contrast to the presumably high prevalence and relevance of comorbid mental disorders in adolescents with MUD. Suggestions for future research topics, informed by adult findings, include genetic vulnerabilities, biological changes, and consequences of different use patterns. Surprisingly few MUD treatment programs explicitly integrate comorbid mental disorder modules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sören Kuitunen-Paul
- Research Group Stress and Addiction, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Veit Roessner
- Research Group Stress and Addiction, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Lukas A Basedow
- Research Group Stress and Addiction, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Yulia Golub
- Research Group Stress and Addiction, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
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Liu Y, Zhu J, Li Q, Wang Y, Li Y, Chen J, Dang S, Chen J, Shi H, Xue J, Li W, Wang W. Differences in the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation between methamphetamine and heroin use disorder individuals: A resting-state fMRI study. Brain Behav 2020; 10:e01703. [PMID: 32666687 PMCID: PMC7507466 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.1703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2019] [Revised: 04/29/2020] [Accepted: 05/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Methamphetamine has surpassed heroin as the most popular abused drug in China. Although the use of both heroin and methamphetamine leads to use disorders through dysfunction of the dopamine pathway, the incidence of psychiatric disorder caused by methamphetamine abuse is higher than the incidence of psychiatric disorder caused by heroin abuse. The difference in resting-state function between heroin use disorder (HUD) and methamphetamine use disorder (MAUD) and the relationship between resting-state function and psychiatric disorder related to MAUD are unknown. METHODS In the present study, 21 male individuals with MAUD, 21 demographically matched individuals with HUD, and 21 normal controls (NC) were recruited. The amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) during resting-state brain function was measured by magnetic resonance imaging. Psychiatric status was evaluated by the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL90). RESULTS Individuals with MAUD had increased SCL90 scores compared to those of the NC for anxiety, paranoia, and additional items, and the hostility score was significantly increased compared to that of individuals with HUD. There is no significant difference between HUD and NC individuals. Individuals with MAUD had increased ALFF compared to those of the NC for thalamus, right postcentral, and right inferior temporal gyri, but a decreased ALFF in the cerebellum. Individuals with HUD had significantly increased ALFF compared to those of the NC for left middle frontal gyrus but a decreased ALFF in the left postcentral gyrus. Individuals with MAUD had significantly increased ALFF compared to those of the HUD for thalamus, the right inferior temporal, and bilateral postcentral gyri, and the ALFF of cerebellum and left middle frontal was significantly increased. CONCLUSIONS Methamphetamine can induce more serious psychiatric disorders than heroin. The resting-state function involved in mood adjustment, the auditory, and memory-related brain regions may affect psychotic symptoms related to MAUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Liu
- Department of Radiology, Tangdu Hospital, The Air Force Medical University, Xi'an, China.,Department of Radiology, Xi'an Gem Flower Changqing Hospital, Xi'an, China
| | - Jia Zhu
- Department of Radiology, Tangdu Hospital, The Air Force Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Qiang Li
- Department of Radiology, Tangdu Hospital, The Air Force Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yarong Wang
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yongbin Li
- Department of Radiology, Tangdu Hospital, The Air Force Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jiajie Chen
- Department of Radiology, Tangdu Hospital, The Air Force Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Shan Dang
- Department of Radiology, Tangdu Hospital, The Air Force Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jing Chen
- Department of Radiology, Tangdu Hospital, The Air Force Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Hong Shi
- Xi'an No.1 Hospital, Xi'an, China
| | | | - Wei Li
- Department of Radiology, Tangdu Hospital, The Air Force Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Radiology, Tangdu Hospital, The Air Force Medical University, Xi'an, China
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A comparison of regional brain volumes and white matter connectivity in subjects with stimulant induced psychosis versus schizophrenia. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2019; 236:3385-3399. [PMID: 31230145 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-019-05298-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2018] [Accepted: 06/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Schizophrenia and stimulant-induced psychosis (SIP) represent two different forms of psychotic disorder, with different etiologies. While many of the symptoms of psychosis are common to both disorders, there have been few direct comparisons between these conditions, especially when controlling for stimulant use in individuals with schizophrenia. OBJECTIVES We directly compared both psychotic disorders with a comprehensive battery of clinical, neurocognitive and neuroanatomical measures. This included one group with SIP (and concurrent stimulant dependence) and two groups with schizophrenia (either with or without concurrent stimulant dependence). METHODS Ninety-six participants were recruited from a marginalized urban population, which included 39 with SIP (and concurrent stimulant dependence), 18 with schizophrenia (without stimulant dependence), and 39 with schizophrenia (with concurrent stimulant dependence). All subjects had extensive clinical and neurocognitive evaluations, complemented with structural MRI including diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) sequences to determine regional brain volumes and white matter connectivity. RESULTS Both positive and negative symptoms were greater in the SZ-dependent group than the other two. Neurocognitive function was broadly similar. The structural brain imaging revealed lateralized changes to the left parietal/temporal lobe, in which regional volumes were smaller in the SZ-dependent than the SZ-non-dependent group. DTI analysis indicated extensive decreases in fractional anisotropy, with parallel increases in radial diffusivity, in the SIP group compared to the SZ-dependent group. CONCLUSIONS These findings reveal both similarities and differences between SIP and schizophrenia. Furthermore, schizophrenia with concurrent stimulant dependence may be associated with a different clinical and neuroanatomical profile as compared to schizophrenia alone.
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Chiang M, Lombardi D, Du J, Makrum U, Sitthichai R, Harrington A, Shukair N, Zhao M, Fan X. Methamphetamine-associated psychosis: Clinical presentation, biological basis, and treatment options. Hum Psychopharmacol 2019; 34:e2710. [PMID: 31441135 DOI: 10.1002/hup.2710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2018] [Revised: 05/03/2019] [Accepted: 06/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Methamphetamine associated psychosis (MAP) represents a mental disorder induced by chronic methamphetamine use in a subset of users. The prevalence of the disorder has increased in several countries in Europe and Asia where methamphetamine use has increased. MAP remains difficult to distinguish from primary psychiatric disorders, especially schizophrenia, creating complications in prescribing treatment plans to patients. DESIGN This narrative review sought to summarize difficulties related to MAP diagnosis and highlight the need for a better treatment model. Current best practices are described and potential novel therapies and future research suggested. RESULTS Results suggest that clear biological and clinical differences appear between patients presenting with MAP and schizophrenia and that there may exist distinct subgroups within MAP itself. MAP-specific treatment studies have been few and have focused on the use of antipsychotic medication. Antipsychotic treatment has been shown to alleviate the psychotic symptoms of MAP but produce debilitating adverse effects and fail to adequately address methamphetamine use in patients. CONCLUSIONS Continued identification of subgroups within the heterogenous MAP population may lead to better diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes for patients. Psychosocial therapies should be explored in addressing the cooccurring substance use and psychosis in the treatment of MAP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathew Chiang
- UMass Memorial Health Care, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts
| | - Domenico Lombardi
- UMass Memorial Health Care, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts
| | - Jiang Du
- Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ursula Makrum
- Psychiatry, UMass Memorial Health Care, Worcester, Massachusetts
| | - Rangsun Sitthichai
- UMass Memorial Health Care, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts
| | - Amy Harrington
- UMass Memorial Health Care, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts
| | - Nawras Shukair
- UMass Memorial Health Care, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts
| | - Min Zhao
- Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaoduo Fan
- UMass Memorial Health Care, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts
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