Posted by Ame Sans Vie on August 22, 2004, at 10:52:43
In reply to Re: are stimulants neurotoxic? thanks in advance., posted by linkadge on August 22, 2004, at 8:28:43
I agree with linkadge. Stimulants (amphetamines in particular) have a wonderful history of safety that spans more than seventy years. But this is only true when used judiciously, at lower doses than, for example, those used in studies on rats to determine amphetamine toxicity. These studies generally will use upwards of 10mg/kg *by injection* (and often directly into specific areas of the brain that oral amphetamine administration doesn't even affect) to demonstrate neurotoxicity when the average therapeutic daily dose of dextroamphetamine in humans (regardless of age) is generally in the 0.05 to 2mg per kilogram range, *orally*.
I'd certainly be more concerned with cardiovascular detriment associated with use of psychostimulants (or, in the case of magnesium pemoline, hepatotoxicity). But cardio problems in relatively healthy individuals are few, and can, in the majority of instances, be resolved by a switch of medication, reduced dosage, or antihypertensive/antiarrhythmic drugs if absolutely necessary. For what it's worth, my research on the subject has led me to believe that methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta, Methylin, Metadate) is associated with a higher occurrence of cardio side effects than amphetamine or dextroamphetamine, with methamphetamine posing the least risk of all.
~Michael
poster:Ame Sans Vie
thread:380741
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040821/msgs/380811.html