A series of studies suggest that repeated low doses of d-amphetamine can lead to a progressively greater behavioral response in some people. This phenomenon, known as “behavioral sensitization,” has been observed in animal models and hypothesized to contribute to addiction in humans. However, few controlled human studies have directly tested this idea. A new double-blind, …
Amphetamine is well known for its ability to increase dopamine levels in the brain. But new research suggests the psychostimulant drug may also directly alter dopamine 2 receptors, with implications for behavioral effects and physiological changes seen after chronic amphetamine use. Key facts: In cells expressing the dopamine transporter, prolonged amphetamine exposure decreased dopamine 2 …
Major depressive disorder affects over 17 million American adults each year. For up to 30% of these patients, standard antidepressant medications fail to provide adequate symptom relief – a condition known as treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Now, new research suggests amphetamine-based stimulants like Adderall may be an effective augmentation strategy for TRD when other therapies have …
