Differential effects of stimulants on monoaminergic transporters: pharmacological consequences and implications for neurotoxicity.

Many psychostimulants alter plasmalemmal monoaminergic transporter function. Some, such as cocaine, prevent the reuptake of newly released dopamine, serotonin or norepinephrine into their associated neurons. Others, such as the amphetamines, facilitate release of these transmitters into the extraneuronal space by causing a reversal of function of these carrier proteins. An understanding of how psychostimulants regulate the function of not only plasmalemmal, but also vesicular monoamine transporter function is important to appreciate the pharmacological and sometimes neurotoxic consequences of administering these drugs, as well as the physiological regulation of these carrier proteins. Hence, this review will describe recent ex vivo studies investigating the rapid and differential affects of several stimulants on both plasmalemmal and vesicular monoamine transporter function.