Methamphetamine
The SAMHSA National Survey on Drug Use & Health shows that in 2010 there were 133,000 new (first time) users in the US and some 439,000 current users (SAMHSA 2011). This use involves substantial public health concern stemming from a significant rate of dependence on METH. The Treatment Episodes Data Set (TEDS) data on admissions for substance abuse treatment in the US show that there were 115,000 admissions for all amphetamines (dataset does not break out METH specifically) in 2010, which represented 6% of all treatment admissions. In some states the problem is more severe, for example in CA there were 41,665 admissions for all amphetamines in 2011 which represented 26% (compared with 21% for marijuana, 12% for alcohol) of all treatment admissions (TEDS/SAMHSA 2012).
There are no approved pharmacotherapies for METH dependence and conventional therapy is often less than completely effective.
Current projects in the laboratory focus on reinforcing effects of methamphetamine, the development of compulsive use and the amelioration or reversal of methamphetamine self-administration.
Methamphetamine Publications
Nguyen, J.D., Bremer, P.T., Hwang, C.S., Vandewater, S.A., Collins, K.C., Creehan, K.M., Janda, K.D. and Taffe, M.A. Effective active vaccination against methamphetamine in female rats, Drug Alcohol Depend, 2017, 175:179-186. [ Publisher Site ][ PubMed ]
Nguyen, J.D., Aarde, S.M., Cole, M., Vandewater, S.A., Grant, Y. and Taffe, M.A. Locomotor stimulant and rewarding effects of inhaling methamphetamine, MDPV and mephedrone via electronic cigarette-type technology, Neuropsychopharmacology, 2016, 41:2759-2771. [ Publisher Site ][ PubMed]
Miller, M.L., Aarde, S.M., Moreno, A.Y., Creehan, K.M., Janda, K.D. and Taffe, M.A Effects of active anti-methamphetamine vaccination on intravenous self-administration in rats. Drug Alcohol Depend, 2015, 153:29-36. [ Publisher Site ][ PubMed ]
Aarde, S.M., Miller, M.L. Creehan, K.M., Vandewater, S.A. and Taffe, M.A. One day access to a running wheel reduces self-administration of d-methamphetamine, MDMA and Methylone. Drug Alcohol Depend, 2015, 151:151-158. [ Publisher Site ][ PubMed ]
Miller, M.L., Creehan, K.M., Angrish, D., Barlow, D.J., Houseknecht, K.L., Dickerson, T.J. and Taffe, M.A. Changes in ambient temperature differentially alter the thermoregulatory, cardiac and locomotor stimulant effects of 4-methylmethcathinone (mephedrone), Drug Alcohol Depend, 2013, 127(1-3):248-253 Epub 2012 Jul 23.[ PubMed Abstract ] [ Publisher Link ]
Huang,P.K., Aarde, S.M., Angrish, D., Houseknecht, K.L., Dickerson, T.J. and Taffe, M.A. Contrasting effects of d-methamphetamine, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, 3,4-methylenedioxypyrovalerone, and 4-methylmethcathinone on wheel activity in rats, Drug Alcohol Depend, 2012, 126(1-2):168-175. [ PubMed Abstract ][ Publisher Link ]
Miller, M.L., Moreno, A.Y., Aarde, S.M., Creehan, K.M., Vandewater, S.A., Vaillancourt, B.D., Wright, Jr., M.J., Janda, K.D. and Taffe, M.A. A methamphetamine vaccine attenuates methamphetamine-induced disruptions in thermoregulation and activity in rats, Biological Psychiatry, 2013 Apr 15;73(8):721-8. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2012.09.010. Epub 2012 Oct 23. [ PubMed ] [Publisher Link]
Miller, M.L., Vaillancourt, B.D., Wright Jr., M.J., Aarde, S.M., Vandewater, S.A., Creehan, K.M. and Taffe, M.A. Reciprocal inhibitory effects of intravenous d-methamphetamine self-administration and wheel activity in rats, Drug Alcohol Depend, 2011 in press [ PubMed Abstract ] [ Publisher Link ][ RequestPDF ]
Gilpin, N.W., Wright Jr., M.J., Dickinson, G., Vandewater, S.A., Price. J.U., and Taffe, M.A. Influences of activity wheel access on the body temperature response to MDMA and Methamphetamine, Pharmacol Biochem Behav, in press [ PubMed Abstract ] [ Publisher Link ][ RequestPDF ]
Taffe, M.A. A comparison of intraperitoneal and subcutaneous temperature in freely moving rhesus macaques, Physiol Behav, 2011 103(5):Pages 440-444. 4 April 2011 [Epub ahead of print] [ PubMed Abstract ] [ Publisher Link ] [ RequestPDF ]
Crean, R.D., Davis, S.A. and Taffe M.A. Oral administration of (±)3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine and (+)methamphetamine alters temperature and activity in rhesus macaques, Pharmacol Biochem Behav, 2007, 87(1): 11-19. [ PubMed Abstract ] [ Publisher Link ]. [ RequestPDF ]
Crean, R.D., Davis, S.A., Von Huben, S.N., Lay, C.C., Katner, S.N. and Taffe M.A. Effects of (±)3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, (±)3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine and methamphetamine on temperature and activity in rhesus macaques, Neuroscience, 2006, 142(2):515-525.Epub 2006 Jul 28 [ PubMed Abstract ] [ Publisher Link ].
Methamphetamine research in the Taffe Laboratory is currently supported by USPHS Grant R01 DA042211 and was previously supported by USPHS Grants R01 DA024705, R01 DA018418 and R01 DA024105.