Schizophrenia Correlation in Methamphetamine Users

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Recommended: Biological effects of methamphetamine

There have been numerous studies on the correlation of methamphetamine use to schizophrenia. The studies have been done in a clinical course of methamphetamine psychosis that produces the awareness of the biological aspects of the overcoming paranoid psychotic state with hallucinating that occurs in schizophrenia (Sato, Numachi&Hamamura, 1992). In Japan, they ran a series of methamphetamine psychosis studies on people who discontinued their use of methamphetamine; the study ran for over a period of more than forty years (Sato et al., 1992). The lasting ineffective part of the brain that is linked to schizophrenia like symptoms, may be caused by the brain becoming tolerant to methamphetamine induced dopamine that is released when using the drug, which can be related back to the development of brain vulnerability to schizophrenic symptoms (Sato et al., 1992). There are chronic methamphetamine intoxication models of schizophrenia in animals (Machiyama, 1992). The model was produced by injecting small doses of methamphetamine into animals for a couple of weeks/months. These studies were run by various species of animals, ranging from guinea pigs to monkeys, and they all produced the same disorders that have been seen with human users of methamphetamine (Machiyama, 1992). It has been concluded that users of methamphetamine show symptoms of schizophrenia in as little as one dose or even worse as they abuse the drug more. The topic concerning schizophrenia, methamphetamine, and the likelihood that they correlate will all be assessed throughout this review. This literature review is designed to assess the hypothesis that methamphetamine use increases the likelihood of becoming schizophrenic.
Research by Nancy C. Andreasen and Michael F...

... middle of paper ...

... Getting Closer to the Cause. Schizophrenia Bulletin, 29(3), 405-411. Retrieved from EBSCOhost

Flaum, M., &Andreasen, N. C. (1991). Diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia and related disorders: Options for DSM-IV. Schizophrenia Bulletin, 17(1), 133-156. Retrieved from EBSCOhost

Lenzenweger, M. F. (2006).Schizotaxia, schizotypy, and schizophrenia: Paul E. Meehl's blueprint for the experimental psychopathology and genetics of schizophrenia. Journal Of Abnormal Psychology, 115(2), 195-200.doi:10.1037/0021-843X.115.2.195

Machiyama, Y. (1992). Chronic Methamphetamine Intoxication Model of Schizophrenia in Animals.Schizophrenia Bulletin, 18(1), 107-113. Retrieved from EBSCOhost

Sato, M., Numachi, Y., &Hamamura, T. (1992).Relapse of Paranoid Psychotic State in Methamphetamine Model of Schizophrenia.Schizophrenia Bulletin, 18(1), 115-122.
Retrieved from EBSCOhost

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