A drug to boost memory?

ICM: Methamphetamine is a highly addictive psychostimulant drug. Its effects depend on the dose and time of administration. Importantly, it is used in the United States to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Ph.D. student Sofia Baptista from Alberto Bacci’s team and their colleagues looked at the effects of methamphetamine on a model which mimics the treatment as it is prescribed in the US. Their results show the effects of treatment on certain neurons that could have a positive effect on memory. These results were published in eNeuro on June, 2016.

Crystal meth: heavier use and higher purity is increasing harms

TheConversation: Much media attention is being given to the rising toll of methamphetamine-related harm in Australia, fuelled by the increased availability and use of high purity crystalline methamphetamine (crystal meth or ice). Unlike other forms of methamphetamine available in Australia (speed or base), ice (crystalline methamphetamine or crystal meth) can be smoked. This gives a rapid drug effect because it gets into both the bloodstream and the brain quite quickly.

A potentially effective treatment for methamphetamine addiction

UCLA: A new study by UCLA researchers has found that Naltrexone, a drug used to treat alcoholism, may also be a promising treatment for addiction to methamphetamine. “The results were about as good as you could hope for,” said Lara Ray, a UCLA associate professor of psychology, director of the UCLA Addictions Laboratory and lead author of the new study. The study, published in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology, was the first in the U.S. to evaluate Naltrexone for treating methamphetamine addiction.

Meth Damages Adolescent Brains Far More than Those of Adults, Study Finds

University of Utah. US: Adolescents who chronically use methamphetamine suffer greater and more widespread alterations in their brain than adults who chronically abuse the drug–and damage is particularly evident in a part of the brain believed to control the “executive function,” researchers from the University of Utah and South Korea report.

Methamphetamine

NIH. US: Methamphetamine (also called meth, crystal, chalk, and ice, among other terms) is an extremely addictive stimulant drug that is chemically similar to amphetamine. It takes the form of a white, odorless, bitter-tasting crystalline powder.

Meth Users Face Higher Risk for Parkinson's Disease

University of Utah. US: In addition to incurring serious dental problems, memory loss and other physical and mental issues, methamphetamine users are three times more at risk for getting Parkinson’s disease than non-illicit drug users, new research from the University of Utah and Intermountain Healthcare shows.