12th
December 2014 - New research
Previous neurotoxicity findings raised
concerns that Amphetamines and Methamphetamines might damage dopaminergic neurons,
resulting in dopamine-related medical disorders such as Parkinson's Disease. However,
despite widespread use of methamphetamines and other amphetamine type stimulants little was
known about the long-term medical consequences of
their abuse and dependence.
A retrospective design was used to
examine medical records from 1996 until 2011. Patients were
divided between (1) Amphetamine and Methamphetamine users,
(2) Cocaine users, (3) those people that have not
been exposed to drugs or alcohol. They were assessed to see if
they were at an increased risk of developing either (1)
Parkinson's Disease, or (2) Parkinson's Disease /
Parkinsonism / Essential Tremor when compared to people that did not
take drugs.
In Methamphetamine and Amphetamine
users there was a nearly three fold increased risk of Parkinson's Disease, thereby indicating
them as a cause of Parkinson's Disease. However, Cocaine users did not show any elevated
risk of Parkinson's Disease.
The increased likelihood of developing
Parkinson's Disease probably occurs because of the long term effect of amphetamines on the
dopamine receptors, which they affect.
Reference : Drug and Alcohol Dependence
[2014] Nov 16 [Epub ahead of print] (K.Curtin,
A.E.Fleckenstein, R.J.Robison,
M.J.Crookston, K.R.Smith, G.R.Hanson)
http://www.viartis.net/parkinsons.disease/news/141212.pdf
mail@viartis.net
No comments:
Post a Comment