Chronic methamphetamine induces structural changes in frontal cortex neurons and upregulates type I interferons.
While methamphetamine-induced changes in brain neurotransmitters, their receptors, and transporters are well studied, the means by which methamphetamine abuse results in cognitive and behavioral abnormalities is unknown. Here, we administered methamphetamine chronically, in doses relevant to recreational usage patterns, to nonhuman primates. Neurostructural analysis revealed decreased dendritic material and loss of spines in frontal lobe neurons. Molecular examination demonstrated that type I interferons (interferon-alpha and interferon-beta) increased in the frontal lobe in response to chronic methamphetamine treatment, in correlation with the neuronal changes. Chronic methamphetamine thus results in significant changes in the primate brain, inducing cytokines and altering neuronal structure, both of which can contribute to functional abnormalities.
Coutinho
Alice
A
Molecular and Integrative Neurosciences Department, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, SP30-2030 La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
Flynn
Claudia
C
Burdo
Tricia H
TH
Mervis
Ronald F
RF
Fox
Howard S
HS
D000818:Animals; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects*; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015854:Up-Regulation
D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D007370:Interferon Type I; D008694:Methamphetamine