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Psychiatric symptoms and HPA axis function in adolescent methamphetamine users.
George King1, Daniel Alicata, Christine Cloak
1Department of Medicine, John A. Burns School of Medicine, Honolulu, HI 96812, USA. grking@hawaii.edu
Summary
Adolescent methamphetamine (METH) users show more psychiatric symptoms and an amplified stress response, particularly younger females. This highlights the need for stress-coping strategies in treatment to prevent relapse.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Addiction Medicine
Background:
- Methamphetamine (METH) abuse is prevalent, yet its impact on adolescent HPA axis function and psychiatric symptoms remains understudied.
- Chronic METH use may alter stress response and contribute to mental health issues in adolescents.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of chronic METH consumption on HPA axis function and psychiatric symptomatology in adolescent METH users.
- To compare stress responses and psychiatric symptoms between adolescent METH users and non-using controls.
Main Methods:
- Recruited 41 adolescent METH users and 75 comparison subjects (ages 12-23).
- Assessed psychiatric symptoms using Symptom Checklist-90R (SCL-90) and Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale.
- Measured salivary cortisol levels before, immediately after, and 60 minutes after the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST).
Main Results:
- Adolescent METH users reported greater symptom severity across all SCL-90 measures, with younger females exhibiting the most symptoms.
- METH users showed significantly enhanced cortisol levels immediately following the TSST (+31%, p=0.03).
Conclusions:
- Adolescent METH use is linked to increased psychiatric symptoms and heightened cortisol secretion after social stress, especially in younger females.
- These findings suggest altered prefrontal cortical function due to chronic stress and METH use.
- Treatment should incorporate stress-coping strategies to reduce relapse risk in adolescent METH users.
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