Several studies have suggested that the endocannabinoid system plays significant roles in the vulnerability to psychiatric disorders including drug abuse. To examine the possible association of the CNR1 and CNR2 genes, which encode cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2, with methamphetamine dependence, we investigated three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs806379, rs1535255, rs2023239) in ...

ISSUES The major physical and psychological health effects of methamphetamine use, and the factors associated with such harms. APPROACH Comprehensive review. KEY FINDINGS Physical harms reviewed included toxicity and mortality, cardiovascular/cerebrovascular pathology, dependence and blood-borne virus transmission. Psychological harms include methamphetamine psychosis, depression, suicide, ...

BACKGROUND Methamphetamine use disorders are common and severe problems. Persons with mood disorders, particularly bipolar disorder, have high rates of substance use disorders. We previously reported promising findings on drug use, memory and study retention in patients with a history of mania and cocaine dependence given the nutritional supplement citicoline. In the current proof-of-concept st...

methamphetamine (ma) is a highly addictive psychostimulant drug with crucial impacts on individuals on various levels. exposure to methamphetamine-associated cues in laboratory can elicit measureable craving and autonomic reactivity in most individuals with methamphetamine dependence and the cue reactivity can model how craving would result in continued drug seeking behaviors and relapse in rea...

Methamphetamine (MA) is a highly addictive psychostimulant drug with crucial impacts on individuals on various levels. Exposure to methamphetamine-associated cues in laboratory can elicit measureable craving and autonomic reactivity in most individuals with methamphetamine dependence and the cue reactivity can model how craving would result in continued drug seeking behaviors and relapse in rea...

Methamphetamine abuse is a serious global health problem, and no effective treatments for methamphetamine dependence have been developed. In animals, the addictive properties of methamphetamine are mediated via release of dopamine (DA) from nerve terminals in mesolimbic reward circuits. At the molecular level, methamphetamine promotes DA release by a nonexocytotic diffusion-exchange process inv...

Despite the worldwide extent of methamphetamine dependence, no medication has been shown to effectively treat afflicted individuals. One relatively unexplored approach is modulation of cholinergic system function. Animal research suggests that enhancement of central cholinergic activity, possibly at nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), can reduce methamphetamine-related behaviors. Furthe...

BACKGROUND Methamphetamine dependence lead to the compulsive use, loss of control, and social and occupational dysfunctions. This study aimed to compare the effect of valproate in reducing the craving in methamphetamine dependents. MATERIALS AND METHODS This is a randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial on 40 men of 18-40 years old referred to Noor Hospital during December 2012-Sep...

Clinical studies have shown that topiramate, a sulphamate-substituted fructopyranose derivative, might be an efficacious treatment for alcohol dependence, smoking cessation within an alcohol-dependent population, and cocaine dependence. Mechanistically, topiramate's therapeutic effects have been hypothesized to be due to inhibition of cortico-mesolimbic dopamine function, the primary substrate ...

AIM Prodynorphin (PDYN; OMIM: 131340) is the precursor of the dynorphin related peptides which plays an important role in drug abuse. Previous studies have been shown that the expression of PDYN is regulated by a genetic polymorphism of VNTR in the promoter region of the gene. MATERIALS AND METHODS The present case-control study was performed on 52 (41 males, 11 females) methamphetamine depen...