Methamphetamine Research Paper

One in three people who commit suicide are under the influence of drugs. Methamphetamine is a highly addictive stimulant that produces feelings of elation and increased energy, which is caused by massive releases of the chemical neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain. Methamphetamine was developed during the 20th century from its “parent drug”, amphetamine which is commonly utilised in nasal decongestants and bronchial inhalers. It is a highly addictive and dangerous chemical which initially acts as a stimulant but inevitably destroys the body.

Methamphetamine deleteriously alters central brain areas which are crucial for emotional responses in humans (Figure 1), causing tolerance, dependence and addiction, all of which drive compulsive
It is comprised of more than 100 billion nerves, which communicate via connections called synapses. The brain serves to pass messages within the body, as it receives input from the sensory organs and sends output to the muscles and effector organs. The brain incorporates the cerebrum, cerebellum and the brain stem (Figure 2). The cerebrum is the largest section of the brain, which consists of left and right hemispheres, and controls learning, emotions, movement, speech, vision and hearing, which are all functions affected by substance abuse. The cerebellum is located below the cerebrum at the back of the brain and receives information from the spinal cord, sensory systems and several parts of the brain and therefore, regulates motor-movements. It synchronises voluntary movements like posture, balance, coordination and speech which are often first affected by methamphetamine
Methamphetamine is a powerful drug which acts by accelerating several functions within the body, as it is a stimulant. This drug has several routes of administration such as being “snorted, swallowed, injected or smoked”. It is a neurotoxin that most crucially damages dopamine neurons. Research shows that it is “the most addictive” drug in the world.
Regardless of how the drug is utilised, it ultimately enters the bloodstream and through its lipophilic nature can cross the blood-brain-barrier (Figure 3) to reach the brain. Methamphetamine alters the release or “reuptake” of neurotransmitters in the brain, the most affected of which is dopamine, a chemical that assists in transmitting signals and is produced by the dopaminergic neurons located in the midbrain. Dopamine is also strongly correlated with the rewards system of the brain, which provides feelings of enjoyment and reinforcement to motivate individuals to complete certain tasks. The availability of dopamine is controlled by the dopamine transporter, a plasma membrane protein that translocates released dopamine from the extracellular space into the presynaptic