Despite multiple research studies and clinical trials performed, there is no FDA-approved pharmacotherapy for MUD. Clinical trials testing other potential Meth addiction medications for MUD have largely been negative or did not show clear effectiveness (modest at best) or a clear profile of being safe. The medications that have shown the most promise as pharmacotherapies for MUD are bupropion and naltrexone administered together.
S. Making meth is a dangerous process because of the chemicals involved. Continued efforts to find MUD therapy have produced several interesting findings. Recently, exercise and music therapy were shown to help maintain METH cravings 74, 116. This section collects any data citations, data availability statements, or supplementary materials included in this article.
Withdrawal Symptoms
Table 1 provides an alphabetical list of medications tested in randomized placebo-controlled clinical trials for MUD based on the reviews and ClinicalTrials.gov website. Meth use can alter the natural balance of brain chemicals responsible for controlling one’s mood and can contribute to depression, bipolar disorder, and other mental health disorders. You might particularly notice that your loved one goes through very high-energy periods while they’re using meth, and then is deeply depressed when the high ends.
A common sign of meth abuse is extreme tooth decay, a condition that has become known in the media as “meth mouth.” Users with “meth mouth” have blackened, stained, or rotting teeth, which often can’t be saved, even among young or short-term users. But substance use treatment with medical detox and behavioral therapies for addiction can help you recover from meth use disorder. Agonists for receptors for other monoamines (noradrenaline, serotonin) have been tested in clinical trials as potential medications for MUD because they increase dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens and because they decrease negative affective symptoms. Monoamine transporter ligands have been tested for their inhibition of monoamine uptake. Both types of medications, agonists and uptake blockers, increase monoaminergic neurotransmission.
Links to NCBI Databases
A significant driver of this increase is mixing methamphetamine with fentanyl. A national survey on people aged 12 or older shows that 0.6% of the U.S. population, or about 1.6 million people, may have a methamphetamine use disorder. That means more than half of people who use meth go on to misuse the drug.
- Active METH immunotherapy involves vaccination with an immunogenic METH-containing conjugate which is able to stimulating specific antibodies capable of sequestering METH in the periphery 124.
- Agonists for receptors for other monoamines (noradrenaline, serotonin) have been tested in clinical trials as potential medications for MUD because they increase dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens and because they decrease negative affective symptoms.
- Overall, METH is one of the leading causes of drug overdose deaths in the US.
- Drug overdoses — including those caused by meth — continue to be a major public health concern.
Dopamine is released from the storage vesicles to the cytoplasm and subsequently to the synaptic cleft via METH-induced reversal of the DAT and activates postsynaptic dopamine D1 and D2 receptors. (A higher resolution/colour version of this figure is available in the electronic copy of the article). METH use has increased particularly among people with an existing opioid use disorder (OUD) 16.
Meth Withdrawal
Alarmingly, there is no FDA-approved medication for METH use disorder (MUD). This disorder is currently treated with behavioral therapies; however, these therapies have limitations and would benefit from the addition of a MUD pharmacotherapy. Unfortunately, clinical trials have not yet found consistently effective pharmacotherapy for MUD.
Tooth Loss and Decay (Meth Mouth)
The longer a person uses meth, the more serious their health problems will become as the drug continues damaging major organs. But the sooner you can spot signs of meth addiction, the sooner you or your loved one can get help as needed to become healthier and addiction-free. Meth users experience impairments in learning and memory functions thought to be secondary to meth-induced abnormalities in the hippocampus of the brain. Long-lasting meth psychosis often requires locked psychiatric hospitalization. Methamphetamine use disorder (MUD) is characterized by compulsive and continued use despite adverse consequences.
In both approaches, METH entry into the brain is reduced because immunoglobulins are too large to cross the blood-brain barrier. To date, one monoclonal METH antibody (ch-mAb7F9) capable of effectively holding METH in the bloodstream and disabling its entry into the brain has been produced and tested its safety and tolerability 127, 128. The antibody is currently tested in Phase 2 trials 129 (ClinicalTrials.gov). No active METH vaccine has reached clinical trials (ClinicalTrials.gov) despite promising early results in preclinical stages 124. Alphabetical list of medications tested in randomized placebo-controlled clinical trials for methamphetamine-use disorder (reviewed in and ClinicalTrials.gov).
Brain Damage
But you can lessen the chances of harmful effects if you use smaller amounts of meth no matter what method you choose. Some people swallow it in a pill form or smoke it by heating up crystals in a glass bowl or pipe and breathing in the vapors. But over the past decade, rates have gone up among Black people and younger folks aged 18-23. Almost 2.5 million people in the U.S. aged 12 or older say they use meth every year.
2. History of Methamphetamine Use
- Among people aged 12 to 25, the percentage with a past-year MUD remained relatively stable between 2015 and 2019.
- The rewarding effects of METH decrease in strength over time with chronic use of the drug due to the development of a variety of neuroadaptations 36.
- To date, one monoclonal METH antibody (ch-mAb7F9) capable of effectively holding METH in the bloodstream and disabling its entry into the brain has been produced and tested its safety and tolerability 127, 128.
- If someone you know is exhibiting signs of meth abuse, it’s essential that you communicate the importance of getting professional help.
- Alarmingly, there is no FDA-approved medication for METH use disorder (MUD).
With repeated use, methamphetamine exacts a toll on the mind and body, robbing users of their physical health and cognitive abilities, their libido and good looks, and their ability to experience pleasure. Here’s how the body reacts to meth and the consequences of long-term abuse. Past-month binge drinking was reported by an estimated 46.4% and nicotine dependence by 44.3%. Mental illness was common also; of persons who used methamphetamine, an estimated 57.7% reported any mental illness, and 25.0% reported serious mental illness during the past year.
His theories have changed the field, stimulated additional research, and led to new understanding and treatments for opioid use disorders, cocaine use disorders, overeating, smoking, and depression. Prolonged meth use changes the brain chemistry of users, destroying the wiring in the brain’s pleasure center, and makes it increasingly difficult to experience any sort of pleasure without the drug. In addition to behavioral changes, chronic meth use can also cause irreversible damage to bodily systems and blood vessels in the brain, which can result in a stroke. Several new medications that bear promise as treatments for MUD are currently in different stages of clinical trials or open. Among those are oxytocin, doxazocin, lobeline, disulfiram, acamprosate, atomoxetine, and entacapone ().
However, consistently using meth damages the brain cells that produce dopamine, which can make it harder for the person to achieve the same high over time. As a result, the person has to take the drug more frequently, consume increasingly higher doses, or constantly change the way they take it, in order to achieve the same effect. Since the effects of the drug start and fade quickly, people often take repeated doses in what is known as a binge and crash pattern. In fact, some people go on a “run,” which involves bingeing on the drug every few hours for several days at a time, without food or sleep.
Reduction of METH entering the brain diminishes its reinforcing effects, thus reducing METH use and relapse 125. Application of CBT in lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) communitie consistently showed positive results. Thus, CBT either alone or combined with CM reduced METH use, cravings or relapse during treatment in this population 74, 92. Similarly, CBT diminished relapse and/or cravings in other individuals with METH use disorder e.g. 91, 93-95. Of note, although CM and CBT both demonstrated positive outcomes individually, no clear synergism was observed when CM was combined together with CBT 96; however, when compared, the CM outperformed the CBT, e.g. 82. Chronic methamphetamine users may encounter challenges in experiencing pleasure from sources other than the drug.
