HEC/News: Stimulant drugs cause cocaine-like brain changes (MSNBC.com)

HEC/News
Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Stimulant drugs cause cocaine-like brain changes
MSNBC.com February 2, 2009
By Julie Steenhuysen

"A common stimulant drug used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity
disorder can cause brain changes in mice similar to those seen in
cocaine addiction, U.S. researchers said on Monday."

"They said healthy mice exposed to daily injections of the Novartis drug
Ritalin, or methylphenidate, developed changes in the reward centers of
their brains, and some of these changes resembled those in mice given
cocaine..."

"[The study] was prompted by reports suggesting that more than 7 million
people in the United States have abused methylphenidate, using it to get
high or to improve academic performance..."

Full article available at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28983490/

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Received on Wed Feb 04 2009 - 09:23:47 EST