Disease relevance of Amphetamine-Related Disorders

• Cerebral vasculitis associated with amphetamine abuse is well documented, and in rare cases ischaemic stroke has been reported after methylphenidate intake in children [1].
• The prevalence of overweight among all heroin users, heroin injectors, methadone, cocaine, and amphetamine users was 36.0, 38.4, 43.1, 45.0 and 50.9%, respectively, the lowest prevalence being among users of cannabis alone and HIV-positive IDAs (22.0 and 16.1%, respectively) [2].

Psychiatry related information on Amphetamine-Related Disorders

• Modafinil for social phobia and amphetamine dependence [3].
• METHOD: Structured interviews gathered information from 1,457 individuals with a lifetime diagnosis of marijuana dependence, 1,262 with histories of cocaine dependence, 647 with amphetamine dependence, and 368 subjects with opiate dependence [4].
• Volunteers also had a higher MAST score, used outpatient substance-abuse counseling more often, and more frequently had a diagnosis of cocaine/amphetamine dependence and cannabis dependence [5].
• Amphetamine use at intake does not predict depressive symptoms among individuals who are abstinent at follow-up, and amphetamine users are no more likely than cocaine users to report depression at a 12-month follow-up [6].
• The prospect is raised that cocaine, nicotine, narcotic, and amphetamine addiction, as well as various presentations of obsessive compulsive behavior, may also respond to dual aminergic agonists [7].

High impact information on Amphetamine-Related Disorders

• Acute cardiomyopathy secondary to intravenous amphetamine abuse [8].
• Four patients had high serum thyroxine (T4) concentrations during periods of heavy amphetamine abuse [9].
• This combination has not previously been reported with ephedrine abuse although it is well known with amphetamine abuse [10].
• Qualitatively, the performance of the subjects with lowered plasma tryptophan was similar to that associated with amphetamine abuse, consistent with recent reports of depleted 5-HT in the orbital regions of PFC of methamphetamine abusers [11].
• Bupropion hydrochloride (100, 200, and 400 mg), d-amphetamine sulfate (15 and 30 mg), and placebo were compared in 13 volunteers who had histories of amphetamine abuse [12].

Chemical compound and disease context of Amphetamine-Related Disorders

• This study raises the possibility of lithium carbonate use as an adjunct in the treatment of amphetamine addiction [13].
• Pilot randomized controlled study of dexamphetamine substitution for amphetamine dependence [14].
• These data prove the participation of D(3) dopamine receptors in the development of amphetamine sensitization and, in addition, suggest a potential application for D(3) antagonists in the prevention of amphetamine addiction [15].
• DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: The design of the Desires for Speed Questionnaire (DSQ) was based on the Desires for Alcohol Questionnaire and was administered to 174 amphetamine users [16].
• The relationship between benzodiazepine and regular amphetamine use was examined in a sample of 301 regular amphetamine users [17].

Gene context of Amphetamine-Related Disorders

• It would appear that the medical complications associated with amphetamine addiction are not relevant to the therapeutic use of stimulant medication in the treatment of ADHD, although there is limited information on extended periods of treatment lasting 10 years or more [18].
• The results suggest that NPFF may modulate the neuronal process of amphetamine addiction [19].
• Although desipramine clearly was no more effective than placebo in treatment of PCP dependence, subjects with amphetamine dependence who received desipramine remained in treatment longer and submitted more urine samples absent of amphetamine than did subjects who received placebo [20].
• Therefore, it seems that selective adenosine A1 receptor agonists may have some attenuating influence on the development of amphetamine dependence [21].

Analytical, diagnostic and therapeutic context of Amphetamine-Related Disorders

• Open clinical trials have suggested that desipramine may be an effective agent for treatment of phencyclidine (PCP) or amphetamine dependence [20].

References