http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/mind_brain/crystal_meth/ Read the latest medical research on methamphetamine, crystal meth and related illegal drugs and controlled substances. en-us Thu, 16 Feb 2012 01:05:02 EST Thu, 16 Feb 2012 01:05:02 EST 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/mind_brain/crystal_meth/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120125101846.htm Scientists have identified a potential target for the development of anti-craving medications for people with addictions to stimulants such as methamphetamine. Wed, 25 Jan 2012 10:18:18 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120125101846.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110801173018.htm Adolescent boys and young men who have sex with men and use methamphetamines appear to be at an increased risk for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) exposure, according to a new study. Mon, 01 Aug 2011 17:30:30 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110801173018.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110726092157.htm People who abused methamphetamine or other amphetamine-like stimulants are more likely to develop Parkinson's disease than those who do not, according to a new study. Tue, 26 Jul 2011 09:21:21 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110726092157.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110511114211.htm Scientists are reporting development of three promising formulations that could be used in a vaccine to treat methamphetamine addiction -- one of the most serious drug abuse problems in the US. Wed, 11 May 2011 11:42:42 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110511114211.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110501183651.htm A scale used to assess the behavior of newborns exposed to methamphetamine before birth might be able to identify those children who will develop problems later on. Sun, 01 May 2011 18:36:36 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110501183651.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110420184431.htm A new study in fruit flies offers a broad view of the potent and sometimes devastating molecular events that occur throughout the body as a result of methamphetamine exposure. The study tracks changes in the expression of genes and proteins throughout the body in fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) exposed to meth. Wed, 20 Apr 2011 18:44:44 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110420184431.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110203082521.htm Scientists in Spain have analyzed the relation between drug abuse and recognition of basic emotions (happiness, surprise, wrath, fear, sadness and disgust). This study was carried out with a sample including 123 polysubstance abusers and 67 no-drug users. Thu, 03 Feb 2011 08:25:25 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110203082521.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/12/101214141941.htm A new study says post-9/11 "security zones" in major American cities blight landscape, create "architecture of fear" and safety effects may be negligible. Tue, 14 Dec 2010 14:19:19 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/12/101214141941.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101115155440.htm An episode of brain inflammation early in life may lead to long-lasting changes in the brain that increase the risk of developing drug addiction during adulthood, a new animal study found. Brain inflammation is most often caused by head injury or a viral infection such as encephalitis or meningitis. Mon, 15 Nov 2010 15:54:54 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101115155440.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100816114833.htm Young adults who abuse amphetamines may be at greater risk of suffering a tear in the main artery leading from the heart. Mon, 16 Aug 2010 11:48:48 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100816114833.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100607101654.htm The number of methamphetamine-related emergency room visits decreased significantly in the year following the implementation of Oregon's law prohibiting the sale of over-the-counter decongestant containing pseudoephedrine, according to Oregon Health & Science Emergency Department physician-researchers. Mon, 07 Jun 2010 10:16:16 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100607101654.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100527204224.htm Crystal meth (methamphetamine) is a highly addictive drug, which improves memory, but once hooked, addicts find the habit hard to break. One researcher wondered whether she could learn more about the effects of meth by studying the effect it has pond snail's memories. She found that memories formed by snails under the influence of meth are harder to forget and could help us understand human addiction. Thu, 27 May 2010 20:42:42 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100527204224.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100316174208.htm Children whose mothers abused methamphetamine (meth) during pregnancy show brain abnormalities that may be more severe than that of children exposed to alcohol prenatally, according to a new study. While researchers have long known that drug abuse during pregnancy can alter fetal brain development, this finding shows the potential impact of meth. Identifying vulnerable brain structures may help predict particular learning and behavioral problems in meth-exposed children. Tue, 16 Mar 2010 17:42:42 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100316174208.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/12/091208132538.htm Sarah Steele and Langtian "Ren" Yuan were both self-admittedly inexperienced Duke freshmen in the spring of 2006. But then they followed helpful directions of an assistant chemistry professor, added their own patience and ingenuity, and ended up identifying compounds that might allay the powerful cravings of methamphetamine and cocaine addiction. Tue, 08 Dec 2009 13:25:25 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/12/091208132538.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/12/091202114048.htm Fruit flies may seem like unlikely heroes in the battle against drug abuse, but new research suggests that these insects -- already used to study dozens of human disease -- could claim that role. Scientists are reporting that fruit flies can be used as a simpler and more convenient animal model for studying the effects of cocaine and other drugs of abuse on the brain. Wed, 02 Dec 2009 11:40:40 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/12/091202114048.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090715160823.htm A team of researchers has mapped patterns of illicit drug use across the state of Oregon using a method of sampling municipal wastewater before it is treated. Their findings provide a one-day snapshot of drug excretion that can be used to better understand patterns of drug use in multiple municipalities over time. Wed, 15 Jul 2009 16:08:08 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090715160823.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090629165114.htm Researchers report that it takes at least a year for former methamphetamine users to regain impulse control. The results tell recovering substance abusers, their families and drug-treatment specialists that it can take an extended period of time for the brain functions critical to recovery to improve. Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:51:51 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090629165114.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090421111652.htm Regular exercise can prevent the disruption of the blood brain barrier that normally occurs with a dose of methamphetamine comparable to that used by heavy meth users. A new study is the first to look at the protective effects of exercise on the vascular effects of methamphetamine. Tue, 21 Apr 2009 11:16:16 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090421111652.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090415162642.htm A first of its kind study examining the effects of methamphetamine use during pregnancy has found the drug appears to cause abnormal brain development in children. The research is published in the April 15, 2009, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Wed, 15 Apr 2009 16:26:26 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090415162642.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090204085131.htm The first-ever comprehensive national assessment of the economic burden of methamphetamine use in the United States finds the drug cost the United States $23.4 billion in 2005, including the burden of addiction, premature death, drug treatment and many other aspects of the drug. Wed, 04 Feb 2009 08:51:51 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090204085131.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081211081444.htm The federal government and several states have funded an advertising campaign on methamphetamine use. This study shows that the campaign has produced some negative outcomes. The study author recommends that government support for the campaign should be put on hold to allow for better research of the campaign's effectiveness. Thu, 11 Dec 2008 08:14:14 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081211081444.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/11/081118200554.htm Teens who have never done drugs, but engage in other risky behaviours such as drinking, smoking and being sexually active, are more likely to use crystal meth, medical researchers have concluded. Tue, 18 Nov 2008 20:05:05 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/11/081118200554.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/11/081113091625.htm A new study suggests that vigabatrin blocks drug-seeking behavior in animals previously trained to associate methamphetamine with a particular environment. Thu, 13 Nov 2008 09:16:16 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/11/081113091625.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081027195718.htm Children and adolescents who abuse alcohol or are sexually active are more likely to take methamphetamines, also known as 'meth' or 'speed.' New research reveals the risk factors associated with MA use, in both low-risk children (those who don't take drugs) and high-risk children (those who have taken other drugs or who have ever attended juvenile detention centers). Mon, 27 Oct 2008 19:57:57 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081027195718.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081014111303.htm Using positron emission tomography to track tracer doses of methamphetamine in humans' brains, scientists find that the addictive and long-lasting effects of this increasingly prevalent drug can be explained in part by its pharmacokinetics -- the rate at which it enters and clears the brain, and its distribution. Tue, 14 Oct 2008 11:13:13 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081014111303.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080616170826.htm When smoked, crystal meth rapidly achieves high concentrations in the brain without the burdens of the intravenous route. Scientists review the actions of methamphetamine and explain the potential role of dopamine in methamphetamine craving. Mon, 16 Jun 2008 17:08:08 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080616170826.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080604091829.htm Young adults who abuse amphetamines may be at greater risk of suffering a heart attack. Amphetamines may contribute to heart attacks by increasing heart rate and blood pressure and by causing inflammation and artery spasms that limit blood to the heart muscle. Wed, 04 Jun 2008 09:18:18 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080604091829.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080409150107.htm Using a guinea pig model that can assess neural changes in offspring born to mothers given methamphetamine during an otherwise normal pregnancy, researchers provide new evidence for the cognitive damage of these drugs. Wed, 09 Apr 2008 15:01:01 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080409150107.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080409120619.htm Repeatedly stimulating the mouse brain with methamphetamine depresses important areas of the brain, and those changes can only be undone by reintroducing the drug, according to new research. It explains why the craving of addiction is so stubborn and long-lived. This research also suggests that withdrawal from the drug may not undo the changes the stimulant can cause in the brain. Wed, 09 Apr 2008 12:06:06 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080409120619.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071129121127.htm Researchers say certain club drugs trigger a chemical chain reaction in the brain similar to what occurs during traumatic brain injury, leading to cell death, memory loss and potentially irreversible brain damage. Thu, 29 Nov 2007 12:11:11 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071129121127.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/08/070827101123.htm New findings that one in 20 North Carolina men who have sex with men (MSM) reported using crystal methamphetamine during the previous month suggests increased risk for spreading HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. Mon, 27 Aug 2007 10:11:11 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/08/070827101123.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/08/070814170740.htm Methamphetamine exposure in young adults may lead to long-term behavioral consequences later in life. The new work examines the idea that methamphetamine puts young users at risk of developing deficits later in life that are symptomatic of Parkinson's disease in individuals with depletion of glial derived neurotrophic factor, a protein that protects and repairs dopamine in areas of the brain related to movement control. Loss of nerve cells that produce dopamine is a major factor in the disease. Tue, 14 Aug 2007 17:07:07 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/08/070814170740.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/06/070627095343.htm Crystal methamphetamine use among young adults in the United States is considerably higher than previous surveys indicate, according to new research funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The study, published in the July issue of the journal Addiction, found 2.8 percent of young adults (ages 18-26) reported use of crystal methamphetamine in the past year during 2001-2002. Wed, 27 Jun 2007 09:53:53 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/06/070627095343.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/06/070625193422.htm Scientists have found that chronic abuse of the highly addictive drug methamphetamine may be an unrecognized risk factor in the development of a number of potentially serious cardiovascular disorders frequently reported by methamphetamine abusers. Mon, 25 Jun 2007 19:34:34 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/06/070625193422.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/06/070621155554.htm A pair of new vaccines designed to combat cocaine and methamphetamine dependencies not only relieve addiction but also minimize withdrawal symptoms. Thu, 21 Jun 2007 15:55:55 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/06/070621155554.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/05/070529174810.htm A common antipsychotic drug used in emergency rooms to treat methamphetamine overdose damages nerve cells in an area of the brain known to regulate movement, a new study shows. Tue, 29 May 2007 17:48:48 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/05/070529174810.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/04/070418141126.htm A recently discovered signaling system in the brain has just been shown to be turned on by methamphetamine. The signaling system could soon become a target for therapies aiming to reverse meth's adverse health effects as well as reduce the craving that drives its abuse. Wed, 18 Apr 2007 14:11:11 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/04/070418141126.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/04/070402233734.htm Increasing rates of amphetamine and cocaine usage by young adults significantly boost their risk of stroke, with amphetamine abuse associated with the greatest risk, researchers recently report. Mon, 02 Apr 2007 23:37:37 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/04/070402233734.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/12/061226095430.htm Methamphetamine use may be associated with increased risks of major neck artery tears and stroke, according to an article published in the December 26, 2006, issue of Neurology, the scientific journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Tue, 26 Dec 2006 09:54:54 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/12/061226095430.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/10/061031192407.htm Babies can be exposed to methamphetamine or "crystal meth" while in the womb, reveals an analysis of hair samples, published ahead of print in the Fetal and Neonatal Edition of Archives of Disease in Childhood. Tue, 31 Oct 2006 19:24:24 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/10/061031192407.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/10/061018093931.htm Oregon Health & Science University research showing stress triggers relapse of methamphetamine abuse in mice could be a step toward developing a drug to curb this frustrating obstacle to recovery. Results of the study not only validate earlier studies on the effects of stress on drug relapse in humans, they also show a compound researchers used to mimic metabolic changes that occur during stress creates a useful model for studying this effect in the laboratory. Wed, 18 Oct 2006 09:39:39 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/10/061018093931.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/10/061006072159.htm It's cheap, addictive and can harm your smile for life. Its use is also rapidly increasing both nationally and world-wide. It is methamphetamine. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, more than 12 million Americans age 12 and older reported they had tried methamphetamine at least once in their lifetime. Fri, 06 Oct 2006 07:21:21 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/10/061006072159.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/09/060915205056.htm Results from the first large-scale, prospective study of prenatal methamphetamine use show that newborns exposed to the drug are more than three times as likely to be born underweight. Appearing in Pediatrics, the findings mirror those from studies of prenatal cocaine use, says Barry Lester, a professor and researcher at Brown Medical School and Women & Infants Hospital. Fri, 15 Sep 2006 20:50:50 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/09/060915205056.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/09/060908145926.htm A Kansas State University geography professor is using geography and geospatial technology to describe the spatial patterns of seized meth labs in an area of Colorado and parts of Kansas, and to analyze their association with geographic and socioeconomic characteristics. Fri, 08 Sep 2006 14:59:59 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/09/060908145926.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/08/060804135650.htm Researchers at the University at Buffalo have presented the first evidence that the addictive drug methamphetamine, or meth, also commonly known as "speed" or "crystal," increases production of a docking protein that promotes the spread of the HIV-1 virus in infected users. Fri, 04 Aug 2006 13:56:56 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/08/060804135650.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/04/060405233546.htm Researchers have discovered a new mechanism for the neurodegenerative effects of amphetamines. These drugs are converted in the brain into free radicals, highly reactive molecules that cause neurodegenerative brain damage and whose effects manifest and linger long after the amphetamine has left the body. Wed, 05 Apr 2006 23:35:35 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/04/060405233546.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/02/060213090600.htm An international research team has discovered a signaling pathway in the brain involved in drug addiction, together with a method for blocking its action, that may point to a single treatment strategy for most addictions. Mon, 13 Feb 2006 09:06:06 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/02/060213090600.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/01/060123122958.htm Inbred strains of rats differ in how aggressively they seek cocaine after a few weeks of use, researchers say. The finding is another piece of evidence that genetics plays a role in the relapse of drug-seeking behavior in humans, says Dr. Paul J. Kruzich, behavioral neuroscientist at the Medical College of Georgia and lead study author. Mon, 23 Jan 2006 12:29:29 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/01/060123122958.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/11/051128193615.htm A new study led by researchers at UCLA's Semel Institute suggests the antidepressant bupropion may help treat methamphetamine addiction. No medications presently are approved for treating methamphetamine addicts. Mon, 28 Nov 2005 19:36:36 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/11/051128193615.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/07/050727063759.htm A single prenatal dose of methamphetamine -- commonly known as speed -- may be enough to cause long-term neurodevelopmental problems in babies, say University of Toronto researchers. Wed, 27 Jul 2005 06:37:37 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/07/050727063759.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/04/050420092054.htm Adaptive changes in chemical activity in certain regions of the brain of former methamphetamine users who have not used the drug for a year or more suggest some recovery of neuronal structure and function, according to an article in the April issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. Wed, 20 Apr 2005 09:20:20 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/04/050420092054.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/03/050326001511.htm Chemists at The Scripps Research Institute have found evidence in laboratory studies that the immune system may be able to recognize methamphetamine and boost tolerance to the drug through an unusual vaccine-like mechanism. Sat, 26 Mar 2005 00:15:15 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/03/050326001511.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/02/050211083505.htm In its destructive effect on rural families and their children, methamphetamine may be in a class of its own, based on the first study from an ongoing research project in seven Central Illinois counties, conducted by researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Fri, 11 Feb 2005 08:35:35 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/02/050211083505.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/11/041124155818.htm A second, small clinical trial of a proposed addiction treatment led by investigators at NYU School of Medicine and the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory has produced favorable results in the treatment of long-term addiction to methamphetamine and/or cocaine, with no visual side effects in any of the 30 patients enrolled. Wed, 24 Nov 2004 15:58:58 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/11/041124155818.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/01/040106081122.htm Results of a new study indicate that people who have recently stopped abusing the powerfully addictive drug methamphetamine may have brain abnormalities similar to those seen in people with mood disorders. The findings suggest practitioners could improve success rates for methamphetamine users receiving addiction treatment by also providing therapy for depression and anxiety in appropriate individuals. Tue, 06 Jan 2004 08:11:11 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/01/040106081122.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/11/031126064222.htm The illegal drug MDMA (Methylene 3, 4 dioxy-methamphetamine) more commonly known as "Ecstasy" or "XTC," can trigger heart attacks, according to a case report in the December issue of Annals of Emergency Medicine. Wed, 26 Nov 2003 06:42:42 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/11/031126064222.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2002/06/020605072448.htm A controversial research study here has found that exposing cells infected with feline immunodeficiency virus - a surrogate for HIV - to methamphetamine increases those cells' ability to replicate the deadly virus as much as 15-fold. Wed, 05 Jun 2002 07:24:24 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2002/06/020605072448.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2001/12/011203060457.htm A new brain-imaging study at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory indicates that some of the damage caused by methamphetamine -- a drug abused by ever-increasing numbers of Americans -- can be reversed by prolonged abstinence from the drug. Mon, 03 Dec 2001 06:04:04 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2001/12/011203060457.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2001/07/010717081347.htm Exposure before birth to methamphetamine, an increasingly popular "club" drug, renders males, even as adults, much more susceptible to the drug's brain-damaging effects, reveals a study performed in mice by researchers at the University of Chicago. Tue, 17 Jul 2001 08:13:13 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2001/07/010717081347.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2001/03/010301074144.htm Two studies by researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory provide evidence for the first time that abuse of methamphetamine ­ the drug commonly known as "speed" -- is associated with physiological changes in two systems of the human brain. The changes are evident even for abusers who have not taken the drug for a year or more. Thu, 01 Mar 2001 07:41:41 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2001/03/010301074144.htm