Advances and challenges in pharmacotherapeutics for amphetamine-type stimulants addiction

Addiction to amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) is a serious worldwide public health problem with major medical, psychiatric and socioeconomic consequences. However, no approved pharmacological therapies are available to treat ATS addiction. Based on the neurobiological mechanisms underlying ATS addiction, the recent research works about pharmacological strategies have been focused on monoamine, glutamate, endogenous opioid peptide and γ-amino butyric acid (GABA) systems. This review summarizes the recent advances in the medications being developed to treat ATS addiction and discusses the remaining challenges. Although no substantial evidence for efficacious medications has emerged, some of these agents, including bupropion, naltrexone and mirtazapine, have demonstrated promise in clinical studies. Moreover, some challenges, such as the development of new preclinical animal models of drug addiction, the design of large-scale clinical trials with strict quality control, and the distinction of patients' genetic polymorphisms, need further attention. Despite the lack of success to date, much effort is being made to develop efficacious medications for treating ATS addiction.