New! Sign up for our free email newsletter.
Reference Terms
from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Methamphetamine

Methamphetamine (also referred to as methylamphetamine or desoxyephedrine) is a synthetic stimulant drug used for both medicinal and recreational purposes (the latter use is illegal in most countries). It is sometimes prescribed for ADHD and narcolepsy. It causes euphoria and excitement by acting directly on the brain's reward mechanisms, thus making it highly addictive. Methamphetamine rapidly enters the brain and causes a cascading release of norepinephrine and dopamine (and to a lesser extent, serotonin). Users may become obsessed or perform repetitive tasks such as cleaning, hand-washing or assembling and disassembling objects. Withdrawal is characterized by increased sleeping and eating, and depression-like symptoms, often accompanied by anxiety and drug-craving.

Related Stories
 


Mind & Brain News

October 18, 2026

Eating too much salt may do more than raise blood pressure. It could also harm memory and social behavior. In a new study, Japanese researchers discovered that a soy-derived compound called LPC70 ...
Eating blueberries every day could have surprising effects on mood, according to a small study that found greater reductions in depressive symptoms among older adults who consumed the fruit for three months. Researchers also detected changes in gut ...
A psychedelic compound found in magic mushrooms appears to have an unexpected effect: calming highly aggressive fish. Researchers discovered that low doses of psilocybin significantly reduced aggressive attacks in mangrove rivulus fish without ...
Researchers have uncovered three brain pathways linked to lasting improvements in people receiving deep brain stimulation for severe, treatment-resistant depression. They also discovered that patients who failed to improve after two years shared a ...
Scientists have discovered that a protein linked to youth helps protect the brain’s immune cells from age-related decline. Restoring the protein in older mice improved the cells’ ability to clear ...
Scientists have uncovered a surprising cause of age-related cognitive decline involving brain cells previously thought to be entirely beneficial. As these cells become dysfunctional, they can produce abnormal amounts of myelin, disrupting nerve ...
Scientists have discovered a surprising two-way relationship between sleep and growth hormone, revealing how the brain carefully balances physical recovery with wakefulness. The findings could help ...
Yale scientists have uncovered how the stress hormone cortisol helps the brain turn emotional experiences into stronger, longer-lasting memories. The discovery reveals that stress can reshape ...
A rare examination of an Alzheimer’s patient’s brain revealed that regions cleared of amyloid plaques had remarkably little of the harmful tau buildup associated with memory loss, while ...
Strokes are becoming alarmingly common among younger adults, with rates nearly doubling among people ages 20 to 54 over nearly three decades. Researchers found that blocked blood vessels in the brain ...
For decades, scientists have focused on amyloid beta as a major culprit behind Alzheimer’s disease, spending billions of dollars developing treatments that have often delivered disappointing results. Now, researchers at UC Santa Cruz are drawing ...
A new study reveals that people draw a surprisingly sharp line between human consciousness and artificial intelligence, even when both behave identically. Researchers found that participants considered even the most responsive AI less conscious than ...

Latest Headlines

updated 12:56 pm ET