Have you ever wondered about the difference
between amphetamine and methamphetamine and their distinct impacts in the body? Well, if you have hold on tight because we’re
about to deep dive into the specifics that make these two substances different and complex. So let me take you into the world of amphetamine
and methamphetamine. Hi, everyone. Welcome to psychiatry simplified. I’m Sanil Rege, consultant psychiatrist. This is the channel where we break down complex
topics in psychiatry into easy-to-understand concepts. If that’s your thing. Don’t forget to subscribe and hit the notifications
bell to stay in touch with all the latest releases. So let’s get started. Now oral methamphetamine also known as desoxyn,
is available in the US for the treatment of ADHD in children above the age of six. It’s also available for the treatment of obesity
amphetamines, on the other hand are both well known and commonly utilised in the treatment
of ADHD in children and adolescents and adults. They come in various forms as we know, you
might have heard of Adderall, dexedrine, which is Dex mphetamine and longer-acting versions. So in today’s video, we’ll be discussing the
five most important differences between amphetamine and methamphetamine. So let’s dive straight in. Alright, before we begin, here’s a mind-blowing
fact. If you’re in your 40s you’ve likely used methamphetamine
without even realising it. That’s right prior to 1994. Vicks vapour inhalers contain a form of methamphetamine
which was led methamphetamine. Imagine that. So the first difference for structure methamphetamine
has two stereo isomers these are sort of mirror images. Methamphetamine comes in two forms, which
is the S methamphetamine and our methamphetamine, the S isomer packs a more potent punch than
its counterpart the R isomer. So the R stereoisomer is the same as lead
methamphetamine, which was there prior to 1994 in the Vicks vapour inhalers. Amphetamine on the other hand consists of
two isomers D-amphetamine and l-amphetamine. So we know Dex amphetamine or dexedrine is
available for treatment structurally, the main thing that makes methamphetamine different
from Amphetamine is that the methamphetamine carries a methyl substituent and this changes
the entire pharmacology of methamphetamine. The second difference is the effect on the
dopamine transporters. You see methamphetamine takes the crown when
it comes to the effect on dopamine levels. Studies show that it can boost dopamine levels
by an astounding 2,600%. And it does this by stimulating the release
of dopamine rather than simply blocking it so you get a significant effect on dopamine
release. Now studies have shown that methamphetamine
released five times more dopamine than amphetamine did at physiological membrane potentials and
this significant dopamine release contributes to the euphoric and addictive properties of
methamphetamine compared to amphetamine, too much dopamine can be harmful to the brain. The third difference is in route of administration. Methamphetamine can be ingested, orally, snorted,
injected, or even smoked, which often makes it a versatile, widely abused substance. amphetamine, on the other hand, is taken orally
or intravenously, and of course may be misused intravenously. However, unlike the hydrochloride salts of
methamphetamine, amphetamine sulphate is insufficiently volatile to be smoked. And one of the reasons for the addictive potential
of methamphetamine is this smokeable form of methamphetamine that results in a very
rapid and intense high. This does not happen with amphetamine, as
amphetamine sulphate is insufficiently volatile to be smoked. The other aspect is that Methamphetamine is
highly lipophilic. We’ll talk about that in just a bit when we
come to the absorption. But because it’s like biophilic, it passes
through the blood brain barrier very, very easily for its rapid effects. It’s fascinating how just the subtle differences
in the route of administration can make such a big difference to the ultimate impact on
the brain. The fourth difference, the speed of action
and bio availability. Now this speed of action and bioavailability
is closely linked to the benefit and the risk balance where Amphetamine is a safer agent
than methamphetamine. You see methamphetamines lipo Felicity, which
is the ability to dissolve in fats and lipids, the adipose tissue of the body gives it an
advantage in terms of its bioavailability and speed of action. It allows methamphetamine to cross the blood
brain barrier much much weaker than other stimulants, leading to a rapid and intense
effect on the brain which is linked to the euphoric property of methamphetamine. Now, when it comes to the onset and peak action,
here’s where the two substances differ. Methamphetamine typically kicks in in about
five to 30 minutes after ingestion, with its peak effects occurring about two to four hours
later. Fascinatingly, a 30-milligramme dose of methamphetamine
may last up to eight hours making it a potent and long lasting stimulant. On the other hand, when it comes to amphetamine,
amphetamine takes slightly longer to kick in onset, ranging from approximately 30 to
60 minutes after consumption. And while it may not act as quickly as some
of the other stimulants, it’s important to remember that amphetamine like substances
all have significant effects on the brain. And this rapid action is something that we
don’t necessarily want. So to give you a further example of the difference
take Adderall XR, the dose of Adderall XR, which is mixed amphetamine salts used in the
treatment of ADHD. Now, the common doses range from five mgs
to 30. milligrammes now higher doses, I mentioned
literature, but this is sort of the general doses, this can result in a peak plasma, Dexamphetamine
or D-amphetamine level of approximately 10 to 110 nanograms per millilitre. In comparison, a single dose of crystal meth
which is sufficient to cause a significant Rush has been reported to be about 40 to 60
milligrammes but here’s the issue. Real Life study of unsupervised recreational
methamphetamine users, as part of a police investigation showed that blood levels range
from 50 nanograms to 1600 nanograms per millilitre with a median of 190 nanograms per millilitre
that is a significant level. And evidence also shows that the doses used
by methamphetamine users over time tend to increase and there may be bingeing type use,
that results in much much higher levels of methamphetamine in the blood. Interestingly, the speed of onset can vary
depending on the form in which these substances are used. For example, medically screened, patients
might experience a slower onset with oral forms of amphetamines, particularly those
with cardiac abnormalities. On the other hand, unsupervised crystal meth
users may opt to the smokeable form of methamphetamine, which can provide a very rapid, fast onset
within seconds to minutes, the differences in speed of action and bioavailability between
methamphetamine and amphetamine has important consequences on the harm aspect related to
the brain and the rest of the body as well. So that takes us to the fifth point, which
is the pharmacological impact off methamphetamine and amphetamine on the brain. Now, both amphetamine and methamphetamine
effect the metabolic ism of dopamine, noradrenaline, serotonin, and they increase the levels of
all three neurotransmitters. However, one key difference lies in how methamphetamine
generates way, way more dopamine efflux, the release and higher calcium release compared
to amphetamine. The difference could explain why methamphetamine
firstly is more euphoric and addictive because of the dopamine efflux. But the ability of methamphetamine to release
dopamine serotonin and inhibit monoamine oxidase activity leads to the what we call oxidation
of dopamine and serotonin. Now, methamphetamine induced neural damage
is mediated by the production of free radicals that occur after there is significant calcium
efflux dopamine efflux serotonin efflux. The point is that too much of these neurotransmitters
can result in a significant oxidative stress the release of free radicals which are neurotoxic. Furthermore, what happens is when there is
excess release of these neurotransmitters, essentially these neurotransmitters are depleted. So longer term use or severe use of this substance. Methamphetamine results in longer term dopamine
and serotonin depletion in the striatum, which is the movement area of the brain. And sometimes we see this in clinical practice
where they may be tremors for example of cogwheel rigidity, Parkinsonian type side effects because
of methamphetamine use, and may also affect cognitive function. Of course, we know psychosis due to the dopamine
hypothesis of psychosis can be significantly triggered off as well. Now, we do know that because of the significant
dopaminergic, serotonergic, noradrenergic release, there are peripheral effects on the
beta receptors and the Alpha receptors that can result in cardiac effects can result in
vasoconstriction of the vessels both peripherally and also cerebrally and this results in of
course, significant impact on oral health, skin health, cardiovascular Help, etc. Now amphetamine compared to methamphetamine
is, of course safer because it does not have that significant amount of release of these
neurotransmitters. However misuse of amphetamine can result in
a very similar picture. So evidence does show that amphetamine use
can result in the depletion of dopamine, particularly what we call striatal dopamine transporters
over the long term. Now, this can be exacerbated in individuals
who misuse it. But also one of the things that’s relevant
to psychiatric practice is that we prefer to prescribe the longer acting version so
that we do not have these peaks and troughs the pulsatile release of dopamine that is
more linked to the euphoric, the addiction aspects, we prefer the tonic dopamine release,
which is essential for reward learning, concentration, and movement. So to recap, we can see that amphetamine and
methamphetamine are far from being just simple substances, they have significant effects
on the brain, the specific neurotransmitters, the transporter parts of the brain, and this
can have a significant impact overall on brain function. Understanding these nuances is crucial for
clinical professionals, but also for individuals that are using the substances. If you found this video useful. Please don’t forget to give us a thumbs up
and subscribe to our channel for more simplified psychiatry content. If you’ve got any questions, please feel free
to ask them in the comment section. And of course, let us know what other videos
you’d like. I look forward to seeing you in another video
soon. Until then, stay fascinated. Bye bye
between amphetamine and methamphetamine and their distinct impacts in the body? Well, if you have hold on tight because we’re
about to deep dive into the specifics that make these two substances different and complex. So let me take you into the world of amphetamine
and methamphetamine. Hi, everyone. Welcome to psychiatry simplified. I’m Sanil Rege, consultant psychiatrist. This is the channel where we break down complex
topics in psychiatry into easy-to-understand concepts. If that’s your thing. Don’t forget to subscribe and hit the notifications
bell to stay in touch with all the latest releases. So let’s get started. Now oral methamphetamine also known as desoxyn,
is available in the US for the treatment of ADHD in children above the age of six. It’s also available for the treatment of obesity
amphetamines, on the other hand are both well known and commonly utilised in the treatment
of ADHD in children and adolescents and adults. They come in various forms as we know, you
might have heard of Adderall, dexedrine, which is Dex mphetamine and longer-acting versions. So in today’s video, we’ll be discussing the
five most important differences between amphetamine and methamphetamine. So let’s dive straight in. Alright, before we begin, here’s a mind-blowing
fact. If you’re in your 40s you’ve likely used methamphetamine
without even realising it. That’s right prior to 1994. Vicks vapour inhalers contain a form of methamphetamine
which was led methamphetamine. Imagine that. So the first difference for structure methamphetamine
has two stereo isomers these are sort of mirror images. Methamphetamine comes in two forms, which
is the S methamphetamine and our methamphetamine, the S isomer packs a more potent punch than
its counterpart the R isomer. So the R stereoisomer is the same as lead
methamphetamine, which was there prior to 1994 in the Vicks vapour inhalers. Amphetamine on the other hand consists of
two isomers D-amphetamine and l-amphetamine. So we know Dex amphetamine or dexedrine is
available for treatment structurally, the main thing that makes methamphetamine different
from Amphetamine is that the methamphetamine carries a methyl substituent and this changes
the entire pharmacology of methamphetamine. The second difference is the effect on the
dopamine transporters. You see methamphetamine takes the crown when
it comes to the effect on dopamine levels. Studies show that it can boost dopamine levels
by an astounding 2,600%. And it does this by stimulating the release
of dopamine rather than simply blocking it so you get a significant effect on dopamine
release. Now studies have shown that methamphetamine
released five times more dopamine than amphetamine did at physiological membrane potentials and
this significant dopamine release contributes to the euphoric and addictive properties of
methamphetamine compared to amphetamine, too much dopamine can be harmful to the brain. The third difference is in route of administration. Methamphetamine can be ingested, orally, snorted,
injected, or even smoked, which often makes it a versatile, widely abused substance. amphetamine, on the other hand, is taken orally
or intravenously, and of course may be misused intravenously. However, unlike the hydrochloride salts of
methamphetamine, amphetamine sulphate is insufficiently volatile to be smoked. And one of the reasons for the addictive potential
of methamphetamine is this smokeable form of methamphetamine that results in a very
rapid and intense high. This does not happen with amphetamine, as
amphetamine sulphate is insufficiently volatile to be smoked. The other aspect is that Methamphetamine is
highly lipophilic. We’ll talk about that in just a bit when we
come to the absorption. But because it’s like biophilic, it passes
through the blood brain barrier very, very easily for its rapid effects. It’s fascinating how just the subtle differences
in the route of administration can make such a big difference to the ultimate impact on
the brain. The fourth difference, the speed of action
and bio availability. Now this speed of action and bioavailability
is closely linked to the benefit and the risk balance where Amphetamine is a safer agent
than methamphetamine. You see methamphetamines lipo Felicity, which
is the ability to dissolve in fats and lipids, the adipose tissue of the body gives it an
advantage in terms of its bioavailability and speed of action. It allows methamphetamine to cross the blood
brain barrier much much weaker than other stimulants, leading to a rapid and intense
effect on the brain which is linked to the euphoric property of methamphetamine. Now, when it comes to the onset and peak action,
here’s where the two substances differ. Methamphetamine typically kicks in in about
five to 30 minutes after ingestion, with its peak effects occurring about two to four hours
later. Fascinatingly, a 30-milligramme dose of methamphetamine
may last up to eight hours making it a potent and long lasting stimulant. On the other hand, when it comes to amphetamine,
amphetamine takes slightly longer to kick in onset, ranging from approximately 30 to
60 minutes after consumption. And while it may not act as quickly as some
of the other stimulants, it’s important to remember that amphetamine like substances
all have significant effects on the brain. And this rapid action is something that we
don’t necessarily want. So to give you a further example of the difference
take Adderall XR, the dose of Adderall XR, which is mixed amphetamine salts used in the
treatment of ADHD. Now, the common doses range from five mgs
to 30. milligrammes now higher doses, I mentioned
literature, but this is sort of the general doses, this can result in a peak plasma, Dexamphetamine
or D-amphetamine level of approximately 10 to 110 nanograms per millilitre. In comparison, a single dose of crystal meth
which is sufficient to cause a significant Rush has been reported to be about 40 to 60
milligrammes but here’s the issue. Real Life study of unsupervised recreational
methamphetamine users, as part of a police investigation showed that blood levels range
from 50 nanograms to 1600 nanograms per millilitre with a median of 190 nanograms per millilitre
that is a significant level. And evidence also shows that the doses used
by methamphetamine users over time tend to increase and there may be bingeing type use,
that results in much much higher levels of methamphetamine in the blood. Interestingly, the speed of onset can vary
depending on the form in which these substances are used. For example, medically screened, patients
might experience a slower onset with oral forms of amphetamines, particularly those
with cardiac abnormalities. On the other hand, unsupervised crystal meth
users may opt to the smokeable form of methamphetamine, which can provide a very rapid, fast onset
within seconds to minutes, the differences in speed of action and bioavailability between
methamphetamine and amphetamine has important consequences on the harm aspect related to
the brain and the rest of the body as well. So that takes us to the fifth point, which
is the pharmacological impact off methamphetamine and amphetamine on the brain. Now, both amphetamine and methamphetamine
effect the metabolic ism of dopamine, noradrenaline, serotonin, and they increase the levels of
all three neurotransmitters. However, one key difference lies in how methamphetamine
generates way, way more dopamine efflux, the release and higher calcium release compared
to amphetamine. The difference could explain why methamphetamine
firstly is more euphoric and addictive because of the dopamine efflux. But the ability of methamphetamine to release
dopamine serotonin and inhibit monoamine oxidase activity leads to the what we call oxidation
of dopamine and serotonin. Now, methamphetamine induced neural damage
is mediated by the production of free radicals that occur after there is significant calcium
efflux dopamine efflux serotonin efflux. The point is that too much of these neurotransmitters
can result in a significant oxidative stress the release of free radicals which are neurotoxic. Furthermore, what happens is when there is
excess release of these neurotransmitters, essentially these neurotransmitters are depleted. So longer term use or severe use of this substance. Methamphetamine results in longer term dopamine
and serotonin depletion in the striatum, which is the movement area of the brain. And sometimes we see this in clinical practice
where they may be tremors for example of cogwheel rigidity, Parkinsonian type side effects because
of methamphetamine use, and may also affect cognitive function. Of course, we know psychosis due to the dopamine
hypothesis of psychosis can be significantly triggered off as well. Now, we do know that because of the significant
dopaminergic, serotonergic, noradrenergic release, there are peripheral effects on the
beta receptors and the Alpha receptors that can result in cardiac effects can result in
vasoconstriction of the vessels both peripherally and also cerebrally and this results in of
course, significant impact on oral health, skin health, cardiovascular Help, etc. Now amphetamine compared to methamphetamine
is, of course safer because it does not have that significant amount of release of these
neurotransmitters. However misuse of amphetamine can result in
a very similar picture. So evidence does show that amphetamine use
can result in the depletion of dopamine, particularly what we call striatal dopamine transporters
over the long term. Now, this can be exacerbated in individuals
who misuse it. But also one of the things that’s relevant
to psychiatric practice is that we prefer to prescribe the longer acting version so
that we do not have these peaks and troughs the pulsatile release of dopamine that is
more linked to the euphoric, the addiction aspects, we prefer the tonic dopamine release,
which is essential for reward learning, concentration, and movement. So to recap, we can see that amphetamine and
methamphetamine are far from being just simple substances, they have significant effects
on the brain, the specific neurotransmitters, the transporter parts of the brain, and this
can have a significant impact overall on brain function. Understanding these nuances is crucial for
clinical professionals, but also for individuals that are using the substances. If you found this video useful. Please don’t forget to give us a thumbs up
and subscribe to our channel for more simplified psychiatry content. If you’ve got any questions, please feel free
to ask them in the comment section. And of course, let us know what other videos
you’d like. I look forward to seeing you in another video
soon. Until then, stay fascinated. Bye bye
Video Tags: Amphetamine vs. Methamphetamine,Unveiling Disparities,Ticking Time Bomb,Complexities of Substance,Perilous Impact,Educating About Risks,Drug Awareness,Addiction Insights,Health Empowerment.,methamphetamine,amphetamine,dopamine,substances,neurotransmitters,onset,methamphetamine users,bioavailability,psychiatry,adderall xr
Video Duration: 00:11:45
