Speed, Ecstasy, Ritalin: The Science of AmphetaminesAmphetamines have had a relatively short, though chequered history. From their use in wartime, their abuse by the beat generation, up to the popularity of Ecstasy in the late 20th century, many have found amphetamines an enjoyable, though unpredictable, stimulant. More than that though, amphetamine-based treatments have been found to have beneficial effects for those suffering from attention deficit disorders, and are now widely prescribed in the US and elsewhere as a treatment for children and adults. What is the truth behind these medical claims? What are the real effects of stimulants like Ecstasy? Just how harmful are amphetamines? In this book, a leading authority on psychoactive drugs explores the uses and abuses of amphetamines. Starting with a look at the origins of amphetamines, their use in wartime, their use by poets, musicians - even a President of the US, it presents a fascinating and accessible account of amphetamine use. It examines the evidence for the claims that drugs like Ecstasy kill, and considers the widespread use of amphetamines for ADHD, presenting a thorough account based on science and fact, rather than dogma. |
Contents
1 Introduction | 1 |
2 What are amphetamines and how do they work in the brain? | 5 |
3 Medical uses of amphetamines | 29 |
4 Amphetamines as performance enhancers | 71 |
5 Illicit amphetamine use around the world | 79 |
how research on amphetamines provided new insights into the brain mechanisms underlying schizophrenia | 121 |
7 How dangerous are the amphetamines? | 135 |
8 Ecstasy | 149 |
9 The future with amphetamines | 173 |
References | 179 |
| 209 | |
Subject Index | 215 |
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Common terms and phrases
action activity Adderall addiction ADHD administration adults adverse aminorex ampheta amphetamine abuse amphetamine psychosis amphetamine users amphetamine-induced amphetamine-like drugs Angrist animals anti-obesity anti-obesity agents anti-psychotic drugs appetite suppressants associated Benzedrine Benzedrine inhaler cathinone cause cent Chapter chemical chronic cocaine cognitive damage dependence dexfenfluramine dopamine receptors dopamine release dopamine transporter dopaminergic doses of amphetamine drug-induced ecstasy ecstasy users effects of amphetamine ephedrine epidemic evidence experience Fen-Phen fenfluramine function Grinspoon Grinspoon and Hedblom heart valve high doses high-dose human illicit increased injection intravenous laboratory manufacture MDMA mechanisms medicine meth methamphetamine methamphetamine abuse methamphetamine users methylphenidate mg/kg misuse monoamine neurochemical neurons neurotoxicity neurotransmitter norepinephrine normal nucleus accumbens obesity patients Pervitin Pharmacol pharmacology phentermine pill potential prefrontal cortex Psychiatry Psychopharmacology psychostimulant reported response risk Ritalin schizophrenia serotonin transporter sexual Shulgin stereotyped behaviour stimulant studies subjects symptoms tablets tests treatment Volkow Wyeth