title: Methamphetamine users show greater than normal age-related cortical gray matter loss.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Methamphetamine (Meth) abuse continues to be a major illicit drug of abuse. Neuroimaging findings suggest that Meth is neurotoxic and may alter various brain structures, but the effect of Meth on the aging brain has not been studied.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim was to determine regional volumes of cortical gray matter in the brains of adult Meth users versus healthy control subjects, and their interaction with age and Meth-usage variables.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study
  
  
  METHODS
  Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) Research Center located in a university-affiliated hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-four Meth-dependent subjects (21 men and 13 women; ages 33.1 ± 8.9 years), diagnosed according to DSM-IV criteria, and 31 healthy non-Meth user comparison subjects (23 men and 8 women ages 35.7 ± 8.4 years).
  
  
  METHODS
  Regional gray matter volumes were segmented automatically in all subjects and evaluated in relation to age, using high-resolution MRIs at 3.0 Tesla.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After adjustment for the effects of cranium size, the Meth users showed enhanced cortical gray matter volume loss with age in the frontal (analysis of covariance interaction P = 0.02), occipital (interaction P = 0.01), temporal (interaction P < 0.001) and the insular lobes (interaction P = 0.01) compared to controls, independently of Meth-usage patterns. Additionally, Meth users showed smaller gray matter volumes than control subjects in several subregions (dorsolateral prefrontal: P = 0.02; orbitofrontal: P = 0.03; prefrontal: P = 0.047; superior temporal: P = 0.04).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Methamphetamine users appear to show increased cortical gray matter loss with age which raises the possibility of accelerated decline in mental functioning.
authors: University of Hawaii, John A. Burns School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA. nakamah@dop.hawaii.edu
authors: Helenna
authors: H
authors: Nakama
authors: Linda
authors: L
authors: Chang
authors: George
authors: G
authors: Fein
authors: Ryan
authors: R
authors: Shimotsu
authors: Caroline S
authors: CS
authors: Jiang
authors: Thomas
authors: T
authors: Ernst
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D019969:Amphetamine-Related Disorders / Q000473:pathology*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000009:adverse effects; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D059906:Neuroimaging / Q000379:methods; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D008694:Methamphetamine