Memory impairment induced by amphetamine derivatives in laboratory animals and in humans: a review

AbstractThe 20th century brought with it the so-called club drugs (the most notorious being amphetamine derivatives), which are used by young adults at all-night dance parties. Methamphetamine and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or ecstasy) are synthetic drugs with stimulant and psychoactive properties that belong to the amphetamine family. Here, we have reviewed the literature about the cognitive impairment induced by these two amphetamine derivatives and the preclinical and clinical outcomes. Although there is controversial evidence about the effect of methamphetamine and MDMA on learning and memory in laboratory animals, results from published papers demonstrate that amphetamines cause long-term impairment of cognitive functions. A large number of pharmacological receptors have been studied and screened as targets of amphetamine-induced cognitive dysfunction, and extensive research efforts have been invested to provide evidence about the molecular mechanisms behind these cognitive deficits. In humans, there is a considerable body of evidence indicating that methamphetamine and MDMA seriously disrupt memory and learning processes. Although an association between the impairments of memory performance and a history of recreational amphetamine ingestion has also been corroborated, a number of methodological difficulties continue to hamper research in this field, the most important being the concomitant use of other illicit drugs.

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Plant-Based Drugs as an Adjuvant to Cancer Chemotherapy

10.5772/intechopen.94040 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Lakshmi Mohan

Keyword(s):

Natural Products ◽

Cancer Chemotherapy ◽

Herbal Medicines ◽

Modern Medicine ◽

Aquatic Life ◽

Traditional Medicines ◽

Synthetic Drugs ◽

History Of ◽

Drug Leads

Humans have turned to natural products, obtained from plants, animals and aquatic life for treating diseases since time immemorial. Modern medicine is based on ancient wisdom transferred over generations. Drug development relies mainly on natural sources. Herbal medicines are making a comeback due to lower side effects, and positive results in the long term when compared to synthetic drugs. The current drug discovery process relies on identifying traditional medicines followed by Bioactivity-guided fractionation to isolate significant lead molecules. Plants have a history of long-term use by humans and hence it can be presumed that the bioactive compounds obtained from plants will have low human toxicity. There exists a huge potential for discovering new antitumor drug leads by screening natural products either in the form of crude extracts purified phytochemicals which have already been described in the literature. The fact that phytochemicals like paclitaxel, vinblastine, vincristine and camptothecin are being successfully used in clinical practice and several others like combretastatin and noscapine are in different stages of clinical trials implies the importance of plants in cancer chemotherapy.

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Neural plasticity and emotional memory

Development and Psychopathology ◽

10.1017/s0954579498001898 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 10 (4) ◽

pp. 829-855 ◽

Cited By ~ 47

Author(s):

R. M. POST ◽

S. R. B. WEISS ◽

H. LI ◽

M. A. SMITH ◽

L. X. ZHANG ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Neural Plasticity ◽

Molecular Mechanisms ◽

Emotional Memory ◽

Neonatal Rat ◽

Prior History ◽

Rat Pups ◽

Life Threatening ◽

History Of ◽

And Behavior

Posttraumatic stress disorder is the pathological replay of emotional memory formed in response to painful, life-threatening, or horrifying events. In contrast, depression is often precipitated by more social context-related stressors. New data suggest that different types of life experiences can differentially impact biochemistry, physiology, anatomy, and behavior at the level of changes in gene expression. Repeated separation of neonatal rat pups from their mother results in many long-lasting alterations in biology and behavior paralleling that in depression, including hypercortisolism. The role of the amygdala in modulating emotional memory is highlighted, as well as some of its unique properties such as metaplasticity (i.e., the differential direction of long-term adaptation, either potentiation or depression) in response to the same input as a function of the prior history of stimulation. The implications of these emerging data on the physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying emotional memory emphasize the particular importance of prevention and early intervention.

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Psychological Stress, Its Reduction, and Long-Term Consequences: What Studies with Laboratory Animals Might Teach Us about Life in the Dog Shelter

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani10112061 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (11) ◽

pp. 2061

Author(s):

Michael B. Hennessy ◽

Regina M. Willen ◽

Patricia A. Schiml

Keyword(s):

Stress Responses ◽

Human Interaction ◽

Laboratory Animals ◽

Behavioral Consequences ◽

Social Buffering ◽

History Of ◽

Shelter Dogs ◽

Effective Use ◽

Laboratory Stress

There is a long history of laboratory studies of the physiological and behavioral effects of stress, its reduction, and the later psychological and behavioral consequences of unmitigated stress responses. Many of the stressors employed in these studies approximate the experience of dogs confined in an animal shelter. We review how the laboratory literature has guided our own work in describing the reactions of dogs to shelter housing and in helping formulate means of reducing their stress responses. Consistent with the social buffering literature in other species, human interaction has emerged as a key ingredient in moderating glucocorticoid stress responses of shelter dogs. We discuss variables that appear critical for effective use of human interaction procedures in the shelter as well as potential neural mechanisms underlying the glucocorticoid-reducing effect. We also describe recent studies in which enrichment centered on human interaction has been found to reduce aggressive responses in a temperament test used to determine suitability for adoption. Finally, we suggest that a critical aspect of the laboratory stress literature that has been underappreciated in studying shelter dogs is evidence for long-term behavioral consequences—often mediated by glucocorticoids—that may not become apparent until well after initial stress exposure.

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The Protective and Long-Lasting Effects of Human Milk Oligosaccharides on Cognition in Mammals

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu12113572 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (11) ◽

pp. 3572

Author(s):

Sylvia Docq ◽

Marcia Spoelder ◽

Wendan Wang ◽

Judith R. Homberg

Keyword(s):

Human Milk ◽

Molecular Mechanisms ◽

Memory Performance ◽

Long Term Potentiation ◽

Accelerated Learning ◽

Human Milk Oligosaccharides ◽

Milk Oligosaccharides ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Term Potentiation

Over the last few years, research indicated that Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMOs) may serve to enhance cognition during development. HMOs hereby provide an exciting avenue in the understanding of the molecular mechanisms that contribute to cognitive development. Therefore, this review aims to summarize the reported observations regarding the effects of HMOs on memory and cognition in rats, mice and piglets. Our main findings illustrate that the administration of fucosylated (single or combined with Lacto-N-neoTetraose (LNnT) and other oligosaccharides) and sialylated HMOs results in marked improvements in spatial memory and an accelerated learning rate in operant tasks. Such beneficial effects of HMOs on cognition already become apparent during infancy, especially when the behavioural tasks are cognitively more demanding. When animals age, its effects become increasingly more apparent in simpler tasks as well. Furthermore, the combination of HMOs with other oligosaccharides yields different effects on memory performance as opposed to single HMO administration. In addition, an enhanced hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP) response both at a young and at a mature age are reported as well. These results point towards the possibility that HMOs administered either in singular or combination forms have long-lasting, beneficial effects on memory and cognition in mammals.

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The supervision register: 19 months after its introduction

Psychiatric Bulletin ◽

10.1192/pb.23.1.15 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 23 (1) ◽

pp. 15-19

Author(s):

Charles Hindler

Keyword(s):

Illicit Drugs ◽

Care Programme ◽

Community Psychiatric ◽

Appropriate Care ◽

History Of ◽

Matched Case ◽

History Of Violence ◽

Matched Case Control Study ◽

Control Study

Aims and methodTo examine whether, 19 months after its introduction, the goals of the supervision register have been met. A matched case-control study of patients on the supervision register and Care Programme Approach was conducted.ResultsCases and controls demonstrated similar socio-demographic characteristics, primary diagnoses and community psychiatric care. The supervision register group were more likely to use concurrent alcohol and/or illicit drugs (P=0.001) or suffer with an accompanying personality disorder (P=0.0001), and were less likely to have experience of a long-term relationship (P=0.003). Nineteen months after registration, the supervision register group were more likely to be violent to others (P=0.002) or involved in serious threatening behaviour to others (P=0.0007). Relapse of mental illness was the only significant predictor of future violence in the supervision register group (P<0.01).Clinical implicationsPatients with a history of violence to others were found to be appropriately placed on the supervision register but continued to demonstrate aggressive behaviour after registration, indicating that the goal of the supervision register to prioritise most appropriate care and treatment for this group of patients has not been met.

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Short- and long-term memory tasks predict working memory performance, and vice versa.

Canadian Journal of Experimental Psychology/Revue canadienne de psychologie expérimentale ◽

10.1037/cep0000157 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 73 (2) ◽

pp. 79-93 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Ian Neath ◽

Jean Saint-Aubin ◽

Tamra J. Bireta ◽

Andrew J. Gabel ◽

Chelsea G. Hudson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Working Memory ◽

Memory Performance ◽

Long Term Memory ◽

Term Memory ◽

Short And Long Term

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Atypical Femoral Fracture in McCune-Albright Syndrome

Journal of Research in Orthopedic Science ◽

10.32598/jrosj.7.3.711.1 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 7 (3) ◽

pp. 147-152

Author(s):

Salman Ghaffari ◽

◽

Mehran Razavipour ◽

Parastoo Mohammad Amini ◽

◽

...

Keyword(s):

Femoral Fracture ◽

Dynamic Compression ◽

Plate Fixation ◽

Medullary Canal ◽

Mccune Albright Syndrome ◽

Café Au Lait Spots ◽

History Of ◽

Albright Syndrome ◽

Mccune Albright

McCune-Albright Syndrome (MAS) is characterized by endocrinopathies, café-au-lait spots, and fibrous dysplasia. Bisphosphonates are the most prescribed treatment for reducing the pain but their long-term use has been associated with atypical fractures of cortical bones like femur in patients. We present a 23-year-old girl diagnosed with MAS. She had an atypical mid-shaft left femoral fracture that happened during simple walking. She also had a history of long-term use of alendronate. Because of the narrow medullary canal, we used 14 holes hybrid locking plate for the lateral aspect of the thigh to fix the fracture and 5 holes dynamic compression plate (instead of the intramedullary nail) in the anterior surface to double fix it, reducing the probability of device failure. With double plate fixation and discontinuation of alendronate, the complete union was achieved five months after surgery

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Anesthesia for rabbits submitted to experimental surgeries: Report of a series of eight anesthesias

Panorama brasileiro de tungstênio (w) entre os anos de 2008 e 2014 ◽

10.32749/nucleodoconhecimento.com.br/health/anesthesia-for-rabbits ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 151-158

Author(s):

Rafael Antonio Caldart Bedin ◽

Maisa Schultz ◽

Antonio Bedin

Keyword(s):

Muscle Relaxation ◽

Anesthetic Management ◽

Laboratory Animals ◽

Average Weight ◽

Anesthetic Induction ◽

Anesthetic Agents ◽

Reasonable Degree ◽

Bioethical Debate ◽

Precordial Stethoscope

Anesthesia for laboratory animals is a matter of biomedical concern and one of the most present dilemmas in the current bioethical debate. The use of anesthetic agents in experimental surgery aims at analgesia and restraining the animal, in order to achieve a reasonable degree of muscle relaxation and to produce sufficient analgesia. This practice requires the use of protocols for the administration of safe and efficient doses. Eight New Zealand rabbits were submitted to laparotomies demonstrating the surgical technique discipline of the local medical course. For pre-anesthetic medication, acepromazine 1 mg.kg-1 associated with ketamine 15 mg.kg-1 was used subcutaneously. Anesthesia was maintained with isoflurane and oxygen under a laryngeal mask in a Mapleson D anesthesia system and under spontaneous breathing. Hydration was performed with 10 ml.kg-1 saline every hour. A thermal mattress was used. Precordial stethoscope, pulse oximetry and clinical parameters were used for monitoring. For euthanasia, ketamine 10 mg.kg-1 associated with potassium chloride 19.1% 1 ml.kg-1 was used intravenously. The average weight of the rabbits was 2721.25 ± 275.01 grams and the duration of the anesthetic procedure was 120 ± 87 minutes. Discussion. In long-term anesthesia, such as laparotomies, the use of pre-anesthetic medication and then anesthetic induction by the combination of agents is recommended. However, anesthetic management requires monitoring to prevent insufficient or excessive doses from occurring.

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European Integration

10.3366/edinburgh/9781474455893.001.0001 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Johann P. Arnason

Keyword(s):

European Integration ◽

Eastern European ◽

The European Union ◽

Historical Processes ◽

History Of ◽

External Conditions ◽

Eastern European Countries ◽

Totalitarian Regimes ◽

The Eu

Different understandings of European integration, its background and present problems are represented in this book, but they share an emphasis on historical processes, geopolitical dynamics and regional diversity. The introduction surveys approaches to the question of European continuities and discontinuities, before going on to an overview of chapters. The following three contributions deal with long-term perspectives, including the question of Europe as a civilisational entity, the civilisational crisis of the twentieth century, marked by wars and totalitarian regimes, and a comparison of the European Union with the Habsburg Empire, with particular emphasis on similar crisis symptoms. The next three chapters discuss various aspects and contexts of the present crisis. Reflections on the Brexit controversy throw light on a longer history of intra-Union rivalry, enduring disputes and changing external conditions. An analysis of efforts to strengthen the EU’s legal and constitutional framework, and of resistances to them, highlights the unfinished agenda of integration. A closer look at the much-disputed Islamic presence in Europe suggests that an interdependent radicalization of Islamism and the European extreme right is a major factor in current political developments. Three concluding chapters adopt specific regional perspectives. Central and Eastern European countries, especially Poland, are following a path that leads to conflicts with dominant orientations of the EU, but this also raises questions about Europe’s future. The record of Scandinavian policies in relation to Europe exemplifies more general problems faced by peripheral regions. Finally, growing dissonances and divergences within the EU may strengthen the case for Eurasian perspectives.

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