Internal medicine

Monomer

Neuroscience

Organic chemistry

Oxidative stress

Methamphetamine

Bioinformatics

Biology

Neuroinflammation

Psychology

Chemistry

Immunology

Inflammation

Acrylate

Neurotoxicity

Drug

Meth-

Toxicity

Addiction

Polymer

Medicine

Pharmacology

Biomolecules & Therapeutics

Methamphetamine (METH) is a highly addictive psychostimulant and one of the most widely abused drugs worldwide. The continuous use of METH eventually leads to drug addiction and causes serious health complications, including attention deficit, memory loss and cognitive decline. These neurological complications are strongly associated with METH-induced neurotoxicity and neuroinflammation, which leads to neuronal cell death. The current review investigates the molecular mechanisms underlying METH-mediated neuronal damages. Our analysis demonstrates that the process of neuronal impairment by METH is closely related to oxidative stress, transcription factor activation, DNA damage, excitatory toxicity and various apoptosis pathways. Thus, we reach the conclusion here that METH-induced neuronal damages are attributed to the neurotoxic and neuroinflammatory effect of the drug. This review provides an insight into the mechanisms of METH addiction and contributes to the discovery of therapeutic targets on neurological impairment by METH abuse.

Methamphetamine-Induced Neuronal Damage: Neurotoxicity and Neuroinflammation