Amphetamines, and Related Stimulants

Caldwell, J. The metabolism of amphetamines and related stimulants in animals and man. In Caldwell, I, ed. Amphetamines and Related Stimulants Chemical, Biological, Clinical, and Sociological Aspects. 

Davis, J. M., Schlemmer, R. F. (1980). The amphetamine psychosis. In J. Caldwell S. J. Mule (Eds.), Amphetamines and related stimulants Chemical, biological, clinical, and sociolojfical aspects(pp. 161-174). Boca Raton, FL CRC Press. 

Davis, J.M. and R.F, Schlemmer 1979. The amphetamine psychosis In Caldwell, J. (Ed.) Amphetamines and Related Stimulants Chemical, Biolo cal Clinical, and Sociolo al Aspects. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL. pp. 161-173. 

Amphetamine and related compounds are indirect acting sympathomimetic agents that are frequently abused due to their stimulant properties on the central nervous system. Amphetamines act by inducing the... 

ANSWER I think it is very clear that there is a population of autoreceptors at the axonal end, but there is no population of autoreceptors in the axon that passes through the medial forebrain level. The antidromic stimulation is up there, and it looks as if amphetamine and related dopamine agonists cause a decrease in excitability of the terminal field in the same way that they cause a decrease in excitability in the cell body. 

HUl RT (1970) Facilitation of conditioned reinforcement as a mechanism of psychomotor stimulation. In Garattimi EGAS (ed) Amphetamines and related compounds. Raven, New York, pp 781-795... 

In the aftermath of World War II, problems with amphetamine abuse began to arise. An epidemic of amphetamine abuse and related cases of amphetamine-induced psychosis arose first in Japan and later in the United States. Since that time, use of amphetamines and other stimulants has been greatly curtailed and as a class are more tightly regulated than virtually any other psychotropic agents, with the exception of narcotic analgesics. 

Amphetamines and related psychostimulants, modafinil and caffeine (ingested as capsules or as caffeinated drinks), produce feelings of increased energy and activity. These effects are particularly pronounced if subjects are engaged in strenuous or monotonous activities of longer duration. According to some reports, there seems to be a minority of subjects who show negative responses to stimulants and may feel tired, listless and occasionally even depressed (Corr and Kumari, 2000). 

Schiorring, E. (1977). Changes in individual and social behavior induced by amphetamine and related compounds in monkeys and man. In E. H. Ellinwood Jr. M. M. Kilbey (Eds.), Cocaine and other stimulants (pp. 481-522). New York Plenum. 

AMPHETAMINE AND RELATED AGENTS Subjective effects similar to those of cocaine are produced by amphetamine, dextroamphetamine, methamphetamine, phenmetrarine, methylphenidate, and diethylpropion. Amphetamines increase synaptic DA primarily by stimulating presynaptic release rather than by blockade of reuptake. Intravenous or smoked methamphetamine produces an abuse/dependence syndrome similar to that of cocaine, although chnical deterioration may progress more rapidly and methamphetamine is thought to be neurotoxic in DA and 5-HT neurons. Methamphetamine can be produced in small, clandestine laboratories starting with ephedrine, and access to this previously widely available nonprescription stimulant has been restricted. 

A. Amphetamine and related drugs activate the sympathetic nen/ous system via central nervous system (CNS) stimulation, peripheral release of catecholamines, inhibition of neuronal reuptake of catecholamines, and inhibition of monoamine oxidase. Fenfluramine and dexfenfluramine cause serotonin release and block neuronal serotonin uptake. The various drugs have different profiles of action resulting in different levels of CNS and peripheral stimulation. 

Amphetamine and related substances show symphaticomimetic and CNS stimulant activity. Amphetamines are indirect monoamine agonists and interact with the membrane transporters involved in neurotransmitter reuptake and vesicular storage systems. Therefore, they stimulate the release of norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin from presynaptic terminals in the CNS and at the peripheral level (De La Torre et al., 2004). Methamphetamine and the methylenedioxy derivatives (MDA, MDMA, MDEA, MBDB) can inhibit the activity of enzymes of dopamine or serotonin biosynthesis (De La Torre et al., 2004). 

Repeated intermittent exposure to stimulants can produce sensitization, where subsequent drag exposures produce increased behavioral and neurochemical responses. The ability of the drag and ultimately of related stimuli to elicit behavior may be increased with repeated administration or intake of the drag. Dopaminergic sensitization within the amygdala has also been found after repeated exposure to amphetamine and this... 

Recent controversy about the recreational abuse and potential therapeutic use of designer drugs has focused attention on MDA (methylenedioxyampheta-mine HCl) and structurally related phenylisopropylamine compounds, including MDMA istructural analogs of the psychomotor stimulant amphetamine and the hallucinogen mescaline, and produce stimulant and/or hallucinogenic effects (Shulgin 1978). 

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