US Pharm. 2011;3(36):8.
Oakland, CA—Amphetamines such as Dexedrine and Benzedrine, which are used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, narcolepsy, and traumatic brain injury, may put patients at increased risk for developing Parkinson’s disease (PD). Research conducted by Kaiser Permanente Northern California found that 1,152 subjects who were studied between 1964 and 1973 and reevaluated in 1995 had been diagnosed with PD by the end of the study. Subjects who took Dexedrine or Benzedrine were almost 60% more likely to develop the disorder, although no increase in risk was found for those who used the drugs for weight loss. Study author Stephen K. Van Den Eeden noted that “amphetamines affect the release and uptake of dopamine, the key neurotransmitter involved in [PD].” There are also implications for illicit drug use.To comment on this article, contact rdavidson@uspharmacist.com.
