'We found abnormalities in brain activity associated with all three of these neurochemicals, called 'monoamines.' Imbalances of monoamines are associated with emotional disturbances and mental diseases such as depression or addiction.' 'We focused on the key neurotransmitters serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine,' Dr. When they reached adulthood, drugs were withdrawn and their neurophysiological activity and risk-taking behaviour were studied. Study subjects were given one of three dosing regimens of amphetamine during adolescence. In Europe, between two and seven per cent of adolescents have tried amphetamines, and in Canada the number is estimated at just over five per cent. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODOC) report (2011), more than 10 per cent of adolescents in the U.S. This drug, commonly known as 'speed,' is also used recreationally and as a performance enhancer.

'The brain chemistry of these rodents is very similar to that of humans, so this model provided us with very useful insights into amphetamine use in a human population.'Īmphetamine is a psychostimulant drug which produces increased wakefulness and focus, in association with decreased fatigue and appetite. Gobbi, a researcher in Mental Illness and Addiction from the Research Institute of the MUHC and associate professor at the Faculty of Medicine at McGill University. 'We looked at the effects of long-term amphetamine use on important neurotransmitters and on risk-taking behaviour in adolescent rats,' says Dr.

Amphetamine effects