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Title: Is methamphetamine abuse a risk factor in parkinsonism?

Authors: Guilarte, T R

Published In Neurotoxicology, (2001 Dec)

Abstract: Parkinsons disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder with increased incidence in individuals beyond 50 years of age. The etiology of PD is currently not known, but it appears that environmental factors may play an important role. The molecular basis of PD is the nearly complete loss of the neurotransmitter dopamine (DA) in the basal ganglia (caudate/putamen). The decrease in dopamine levels is the result of degeneration of dopamine-containing neurons in the substantia nigra. This biochemical deficit in the nigrostriatal pathway leads to the emergence of motor impairments typical of PD. Methamphetamine (METH) is a psychostimulant drug with increasing use in certain segments of the population in the United States and worldwide. In experimental animal models and human studies, METH administration has been shown to decrease markers of dopaminergic neuron terminal integrity in the basal ganglia. A long-standing question has been whether the reductions in dopaminergic markers induced by METH constitute degenerative changes or reflect drug-induced modulation. Resolving this question is important because the irreversible loss of dopaminergic function may increase the likelihood of Parkinsonism with advancing age.

PubMed ID: 11829406 Exiting the NIEHS site

MeSH Terms: Amphetamine-Related Disorders/complications*; Amphetamine-Related Disorders/metabolism; Amphetamine-Related Disorders/pathology; Animals; Central Nervous System Stimulants/adverse effects*; Dopamine/physiology; Humans; Methamphetamine/adverse effects*; Parkinson Disease/etiology*; Parkinson Disease/metabolism; Parkinson Disease/pathology

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