Increased expression of synaptophysin and stathmin mRNAs after methamphetamine administration in rat brain

The rearrangement of neural networks associated with the behavioral sensiti zation induced by psychostimulants is poorly understood. We have investigat ed the effect of methamphetamine (METH) administration on the mRNA levels o f three different classes of plasticity-related genes in the rat brain. The expression of synaptophysin mRNA increased 20-40% in the nucleus accumbens , prefrontal and temporal cortices, 1-24 h after acute METH administration, and that of stathmin mRNA increased about 20% in the prefrontal cortex 1 h later. They did not change after subchronic administration. The level of a lpha -tubulin mRNA was constant. Therefore, synaptophysin and stathmin play an important role in the neural plastic changes involved in the early indu ction process of METH-induced sensitization, but not in the later maintenan ce process. NeuroReport 12: 1055-1060 (C) 2001 Lippincott Williams & Wilkin s.