Amphetamine Withdrawal: II. A Placebo-Controlled, Randomised, Double-Blind Study of Amineptine Treatment

Abstract

Amineptine is specifically effective for treating a major component of amphetamine withdrawal: a reversed vegetative syndrome. Although more than 2 weeks of amineptine treatment may contribute further benefits, both risks and benefits should be taken into account in doing so.

Effects of topiramate on methamphetamine-induced changes in attentional and perceptual-motor skills of cognition in recently abstinent methamphetamine-dependent individuals

“…While there was a general effect for topiramate to increase psychomotor retardation, as shown by the results of the DSST, its effects on concentration might be due to an anti-dysphoric effect. Although there has been little empirical study of the mood state of individuals recently withdrawn from methamphetamine, the literature on amphetamine withdrawal would suggest that mild dysphoric symptoms (Srisurapanont et al, 1999) are possible. Even though we did not clinically observe any obvious depressed mood in our study participants, and did not measure this directly, it is plausible that the stress of cognitive testing might have enhanced some dysphoric symptoms.…”

Psychostimulant withdrawal as an inducing condition in animal models of depression

“…Of the remaining diagnostic criteria for MDD, nearly all are widely noted during psychostimulant withdrawal. Changes in appetite, which are most commonly expressed as a pronounced hyperphagia, are another defining symptom of MDD reported during post-binge abstinence (Dackis et al, 1987;Brower et al, 1988;Srisurapanont et al, 1999). Hypersomnia is a frequent consequence of psychostimulant withdrawal (Gawin and Kleber, 1986;Gillin et al, 1994;Thompson et al, 1995) and is also a distinguishing sign of atypical depression (Nierenberg et al, 1998).…”

“…In a case study, the tricyclic antidepressant amitriptyline was successful in reversing the dysphoria of amphetamine withdrawal (Tuma, 1993). Further, the antidepressant amineptine, which acts primarily on the dopaminergic system (Garattini, 1997), has been shown repeatedly to provide a rapid attenuation of the symptoms of amphetamine abstinence (Srisurapanont et al, 1999;Jittiwutikan et al, 1997). The combined serotonin/ norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor venlafaxine reduced depressed symptomatology during cocaine withdrawal in patients with comorbid MDD (McDowell et al, 2000), while the selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor reboxetine helped alleviate the psychological effects of amphetamine withdrawal (Cox et al, 2004).…”

Driving under the influence of khat—alkaloid concentrations and observations in forensic cases

“…However, marked impairment symptoms were also observed in cases where the alkaloid concentrations were in the same range as in the pharmacokinetics study (cases 4, 7, 14 and 17) or even lower (cases 15, 16 and 18). These contradictory findings are hard to explain and may be due to lower tolerance levels or to a withdrawal syndrome [1,24,25]. All symptoms observed are in agreement with effects of indirect sympathomimetic agents including khat-alkaloids and were severe enough to suggest driving impairment in 10 of the 19 cases.…”