Interactions between methamphetamine and environmental stress: role of oxidative stress, glutamate and mitochondrial dysfunction

Abstract

Aims Methamphetamine is an amphetamine derivative that is abused increasingly world-wide at an alarming rate over the last decade. Pre-clinical and human studies have shown that methamphetamine is neurotoxic to brain dopamine and serotonin. Other lines of study indicate that stress enhances the vulnerability to drug abuse. The purpose of this review is to shed light on the biochemical similarities between methamphetamine and stress in an effort to highlight the possibility that prior exposure to stress may interact with methamphetamine to exacerbate neurotoxicity. Methods A review of the literature on methamphetamine and stress was conducted that focused on the common neurotoxic and biochemical consequences of methamphetamine administration and stress exposure. Results Experimental findings of a large number of studies suggest that there are parallels between stress and methamphetamine with regard to their ability to increase glutamate release, produce a metabolic compromise and cause oxidative damage. Conclusion A combination of methamphetamine administration and stress can act synergistically and/or additively to cause or augment toxicity in brain regions such as striatum and hippocampus.

Ammonia Mediates Methamphetamine-Induced Increases in Glutamate and Excitotoxicity

“…This finding is consistent with previous reports that the direct administration of glutamate alone into the striatum does not produce long-term depletions in dopamine tissue content (Tata and Yamamoto, 2007). The direct administration of either ammonia or glutamate into the striatum only produces monoaminergic terminal damage when combined with METH (Halpin and Yamamoto, 2012).…”

“…Blockade of METH-induced increases in glutamate, activation of AMPA or NMDA receptors, or NOS-derived peroxynitrite protect against the mitochondrial and neuronal damage produced by the drug and provide evidence for activation of calcium-dependent proteases such as calpain in mediating the long-term damage to dopamine and serotonin terminals elicited by METH (Farfel et al, 1992;Staszewski and Yamamoto, 2006;Tata and Yamamoto, 2007). Calpain is a calcium-activated protease that is activated in the context of excitotoxicity in response to significant increases in intracellular calcium.…”

Distinct Neurochemical Adaptations Within the Nucleus Accumbens Produced by a History of Self-Administered vs Non-Contingently Administered Intravenous Methamphetamine

“…Second, low-dose (ie, o4 mg/kg intraperitoneal (IP)) experimenter-administered/non-contingent methamphetamine produces changes in forebrain glutamate transmission in some, but not all, studies (Fang et al, 2005;Ohmori et al, 1996;Shoblock et al, 2003;Xue et al, 1996;Zhang et al, 2001); but, in contrast to other stimulants (Vanderschuren and Kalivas, 2000;Wolf, 2010), the glutamate-altering effects of repeated methamphetamine injections are only slightly augmented by withdrawal (Fang et al, 2005;Ohmori et al, 1996;Shoblock et al, 2003;Xue et al, 1996;Zhang et al, 2001). However, there exists a large literature indicating methamphetamineglutamate interactions in mediating high-dose methamphetamine-induced neuronal toxicity within the forebrain (Abekawa et al, 1994;Battaglia et al, 2002;Burrows et al, 2000;Davidson et al, 2007;Golembiowska et al, 2003;Marshall et al, 1993;Simões et al, 2007Simões et al, , 2008Sonsalla et al, 1989;Tata and Yamamoto, 2007). Although these latter studies are relevant to cellular processes induced by very heavy methamphetamine use, they fail to assess the potential role for glutamate in the establishment of methamphetamine self-administration when drug intake is relatively low (eg, Gass et al, 2009;Schwendt et al, 2009;Shepard et al, 2006, Stefanski et al, 1999).…”

Adding Fuel to the Fire: Methamphetamine Enhances HIV Infection

“…[1][2][3] Epidemiological studies indicate that ϳ4.9% of Americans have tried methamphetamine at least once in their life. 4 Furthermore, one recent survey indicates that one in three teens see only a slight or no risk in trying methamphetamine [The National Association of Counties (NACo) Methamphetamine Newsletter, October 2007; available at http:// www.naco.org/Content/ContentGroups/Programs_and_ Projects/Criminal_Justice/NACo'sMethamphetamineNewsletter, October2007.pdf]. Methamphetamine, a highly addictive psychostimulant, alters immune functions and increases susceptibility to infections.…”