Title:The Common Denominators of Parkinson’s Disease Pathogenesis and
Methamphetamine Abuse
Volume: 22
Issue: 13
Author(s): Bruno Vincent*Mayuri Shukla
Affiliation:
- Institute of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, Laboratory of Excellence DistALZ, Université Côte d'Azur,
INSERM, CNRS, Sophia-Antipolis, 06560, Valbonne, France
Keywords:
Methamphetamine, Parkinson’s disease, Parkinsonism, neurodegeneration, neurotoxicity, mitochondrial dysfunction.
Abstract: The pervasiveness and mortality associated with methamphetamine abuse have doubled
during the past decade, suggesting a possible worldwide substance use crisis. Epitomizing the pathophysiology
and toxicology of methamphetamine abuse proclaims severe signs and symptoms of neurotoxic
and neurobehavioral manifestations in both humans and animals. Most importantly, chronic use
of this drug enhances the probability of developing neurodegenerative diseases manifolds. Parkinson's
disease is one such neurological disorder, which significantly and evidently not only shares a number
of toxic pathogenic mechanisms induced by methamphetamine exposure but is also interlinked both
structurally and genetically. Methamphetamine-induced neurodegeneration involves altered dopamine
homeostasis that promotes the aggregation of α-synuclein protofibrils in the dopaminergic neurons and
drives these neurons to make them more vulnerable to degeneration, as recognized in Parkinson’s disease.
Moreover, the pathologic mechanisms such as mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, neuroinflammation
and decreased neurogenesis detected in methamphetamine abusers dramatically resemble
to what is observed in Parkinson’s disease cases. Therefore, the present review comprehensively
cumulates a holistic illustration of various genetic and molecular mechanisms putting across the notion
of how methamphetamine administration and intoxication might lead to Parkinson’s disease-like
pathology and Parkinsonism.
