Psychiatric Symptoms and HPA Axis Function in Adolescent Methamphetamine Users

Abstract

Methamphetamine (METH) is a widely abused drug. However, little is known about the effects of chronic METH consumption on HPA axis function and psychiatric symptomatology in adolescent METH users. The current study evaluated psychiatric symptoms and changes in the stress response of adolescent METH users. Forty-one adolescent METH users and 75 comparison subjects in the same age range (ages 12-23 years) were recruited. Each subject completed the Symptom Checklist-90R (SCL-90) and was evaluated using the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale. In addition, the subjects completed the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) and had salivary cortisol levels measured 30 min before, immediately after, and 60 min after the TSST. Adolescent METH users showed greater severity of symptoms across all measures of the SCL-90. Younger female METH users had the most symptoms. Furthermore, the METH users exhibited significantly enhanced cortisol levels immediately following the TSST (+31%, p=0.03). Adolescent METH use is associated with greater psychiatric symptoms and enhanced cortisol secretion following a social stressor, particularly in younger female METH users. The psychiatric symptoms may reflect altered prefrontal cortical function resulting from chronic stress/drug use and the resulting glucocorticoid exposure. The results further suggest that treatment approaches should focus on stress-coping strategies to decrease the probability of relapse.

Amphetamine-related drugs neurotoxicity in humans and in experimental animals: Main mechanisms

“…METH interaction with the HPA axis is likely to contribute to the psychological and psychiatric symptoms, particularly depression, that is observed in adolescent and adult METH abusers (King et al, 2010;Li et al, 2013). Thus, it is hypothesized that dysregulation of the HPA axis reflected specifically in cortisol inability to suppress ACTH secretion is a major contributor to METHassociated psychiatric symptoms (Li et al, 2013).…”

“…Thus, it is hypothesized that dysregulation of the HPA axis reflected specifically in cortisol inability to suppress ACTH secretion is a major contributor to METHassociated psychiatric symptoms (Li et al, 2013). It would be of significant interest to further investigate the relationship between motor and psychiatric effects of METH in both genders as Page 31 of 82 A c c e p t e d M a n u s c r i p t 30 adolescent females appear to be more susceptible to the effects of METH than adolescent males (King et al, 2010).…”

Methamphetamine abstinence induces changes in μ-opioid receptor, oxytocin and CRF systems: Association with an anxiogenic phenotype

“…METH administration has been also shown to induce a dysregulation of the hypothalamicpituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Specifically, adolescent METH users have higher cortisol levels following M A N U S C R I P T A C C E P T E D ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT 6 exposure to stress (King et al, 2010) and METH administration increases plasma corticosterone levels in rodents (Grace et al, 2010).…”

Effects of adolescent methamphetamine and nicotine exposure on behavioral performance and MAP-2 immunoreactivity in the nucleus accumbens of adolescent mice

“…Adolescent MA users have poorer treatment responses, higher recidivism rates compared to non-MA using adolescent drug users [11], and increased rates of general risk-taking behaviors as well as risky sexual behaviors associated with adolescent pregnancy [12, 13]. Adolescent MA users also show increased depression and anxiety levels, increased plasma cortisol levels following a social stressor [14], and executive function impairments [15] relative to non-MA users following 4-11 months of abstinence.…”