Keith G Heinzerling1, Steven Shoptaw. 1. Department of Family Medicine and Substance Abuse Pharmacotherapy Unit, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA. KHeinzerling@mednet.ucla.edu
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Frequency of pretreatment methamphetamine (MA) use is an important predictor of outcomes of treatment for MA dependence. Preclinical studies suggest females self-administer more MA than males, but few clinical studies have examined potential sex differences in the frequency of MA use. Estrogen increases expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which has effects on MA-induced striatal dopamine release and protects against MA-induced neurotoxicity. OBJECTIVE: We examined potential effects of sex, the Val66Met polymorphism in BDNF, and their interaction on frequency of MA use among 60 Caucasian MA-dependent volunteers screening for a clinical trial. METHODS: Data was taken from 60 Caucasian MA-dependent volunteers screening for a clinical trial. RESULTS: Females reported significantly more pretreatment days with MA use in the past 30 days than males. There was a significant interaction between sex and BDNF Val66Met, with the highest frequency of MA use among females with Val/Val genotype. CONCLUSIONS: These results, although preliminary, add to the literature documenting sexual dimorphism in response to stimulants, including MA, and suggest a potential biological mechanism involving BDNF that might contribute to these differences. Additional research characterizing the biological basis of altered response to MA among females is warranted.
BACKGROUND: Frequency of pretreatment methamphetamine (MA) use is an important predictor of outcomes of treatment for MA dependence. Preclinical studies suggest females self-administer more MA than males, but few clinical studies have examined potential sex differences in the frequency of MA use. Estrogen increases expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which has effects on MA-induced striatal dopamine release and protects against MA-induced neurotoxicity. OBJECTIVE: We examined potential effects of sex, the Val66Met polymorphism in BDNF, and their interaction on frequency of MA use among 60 Caucasian MA-dependent volunteers screening for a clinical trial. METHODS: Data was taken from 60 Caucasian MA-dependent volunteers screening for a clinical trial. RESULTS: Females reported significantly more pretreatment days with MA use in the past 30 days than males. There was a significant interaction between sex and BDNF Val66Met, with the highest frequency of MA use among females with Val/Val genotype. CONCLUSIONS: These results, although preliminary, add to the literature documenting sexual dimorphism in response to stimulants, including MA, and suggest a potential biological mechanism involving BDNF that might contribute to these differences. Additional research characterizing the biological basis of altered response to MA among females is warranted.
Authors: J K Staley; S Krishnan-Sarin; S Zoghbi; G Tamagnan; M Fujita; J P Seibyl; P K Maciejewski; S O'Malley; R B Innis Journal: Synapse Date: 2001-09-15 Impact factor: 2.562
Authors: Michael F Egan; Masami Kojima; Joseph H Callicott; Terry E Goldberg; Bhaskar S Kolachana; Alessandro Bertolino; Eugene Zaitsev; Bert Gold; David Goldman; Michael Dean; Bai Lu; Daniel R Weinberger Journal: Cell Date: 2003-01-24 Impact factor: 41.582
Authors: Joshua A Lile; Sherie L Kendall; Shanna Babalonis; Catherine A Martin; Thomas H Kelly Journal: Pharmacol Biochem Behav Date: 2007-05-05 Impact factor: 3.533
Authors: Keith G Heinzerling; Janette Gadzhyan; Henry van Oudheusden; Felipe Rodriguez; James McCracken; Steven Shoptaw Journal: J Adolesc Health Date: 2013-01-17 Impact factor: 5.012
Authors: David W Greening; Michael Notaras; Maoshan Chen; Rong Xu; Joel D Smith; Lesley Cheng; Richard J Simpson; Andrew F Hill; Maarten van den Buuse Journal: Mol Psychiatry Date: 2019-12-10 Impact factor: 15.992