METH AND PCP TRIGGER SAME BRAIN CHANGES
A recent study published in Nature Communications has uncovered a novel and shared mechanism underlying cognitive deficits caused by distinct drugs. The research, led by scientists from the University of California San Diego, focused on the effects of methamphetamine (METH) and phencyclidine (PCP) on the brain and found that despite their differing targets, both drugs lead to similar impairments by altering the identity of specific neurons in the prefrontal cortex.
The prefrontal cortex, responsible for executive functions like decision-making and memory, was found to undergo significant changes after drug exposure. Both METH and PCP caused glutamatergic neurons (which normally release the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate) to acquire a GABAergic identity, releasing the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA instead. This switch in neurotransmitter type contributed to the observed cognitive deficits, such as impairments in memory and decision-making. The research team demonstrated that this change was reversible by manipulating neural activity, either through chemogenetic methods or by using clozapine, a well-known antipsychotic drug.
One of the key findings of this study is that dopaminergic signaling from the ventral tegmental area (VTA) plays a crucial role in inducing these changes. Both drugs increased dopamine release in the brain, leading to hyperactivity in the prefrontal cortex, which was necessary to drive the switch in neurotransmitter identity. By suppressing this hyperactivity, either genetically or pharmacologically, the researchers were able to reverse the cognitive deficits.
This discovery opens up exciting new possibilities for treating cognitive impairments, not only in the context of drug abuse but also in broader neurological and psychiatric conditions such as schizophrenia and mood disorders, where similar deficits are common. Understanding the shared mechanisms across different drugs can pave the way for more effective treatments targeting these underlying processes.
The full study, titled “Drug-induced change in transmitter identity is a shared mechanism generating cognitive deficits,” can be accessed at Nature Communications
glad to see there is some science advancing in this field, hopefully there will be treatment in the future when we need it
Very interesting.
That’s was an interesting read. Glad to see they’re still doing research (I VOLUNTEER MYSELF AS TRIBUTE!!!!!) also have you heard about taking lions main mushrooms, and Rishi mushrooms to help prevent and even repair neurotransmitter damage from using / abuse? What are your thoughts?
It’s amazing that the research is presenting such valuable findings . Thanks for sharing.
I wish I came across these some years back. Meth laced with PCP equaled 16 hours lost. Thank God I was with someone I could completely trust with my life . They stayed by my side till it wore off and regained some sense of reality.