IMR Press / JIN / Volume 23 / Issue 5 / DOI: 10.31083/j.jin2305107
Open Access Original Research
Proteomic Landscape Associated with Cognitive Impairment in Individuals with Long-term Methamphetamine Dependence
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Affiliation
1 School of Psychology, Shanghai University of Sport, 200438 Shanghai, China
2 Department of Sports, Suzhou Vocational University, 215000 Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
3 Department of Physical Education, Shanghai University of Medicine & Health Sciences, 201318 Shanghai, China
4 Xiangcheng Administration Center, 215000 Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
5 Department of Neurobiology, Affiliated Mental Health Center and Hangzhou Seventh People’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310058 Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
*Correspondence: wangyingying@sus.edu.cn (Yingying Wang)
J. Integr. Neurosci. 2024, 23(5), 107; https://doi.org/10.31083/j.jin2305107
Submitted: 4 December 2023 | Revised: 5 January 2024 | Accepted: 15 January 2024 | Published: 24 May 2024
Copyright: © 2024 The Author(s). Published by IMR Press.
This is an open access article under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Abstract

Background: Methamphetamine (METH) is a highly addictive drug that directly affects the central nervous system. METH use not only harms the user’s health but also poses risks and costs to society. Prolonged METH dependence has been shown to impair cognition, which may be the primary factor in impulsive drug-seeking behaviors and high relapse rates. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying METH addiction and METH-induced cognitive decline remain poorly understood. Methods: To illuminate the potential molecular mechanisms underpinning METH addiction, we compared serum protein expression levels between 12 long-term METH users and 12 healthy controls using label-free quantitative proteomics. Bioinformatic analyses were conducted to determine functional networks and protein-protein interactions. Results: In total, 23 differentially expressed proteins were identified between the two groups. The differentially expressed proteins were related to cognitive dysfunction, neuroinflammation, immune impairment, metabolic disturbances, and calcium binding and regulation. Conclusions: These 23 proteins may underpin the multi-system damage induced by chronic METH exposure. Our findings provide novel insights into the molecular basis of METH addiction and inform potential prevention and treatment strategies for individuals with METH dependence.

Keywords
METH
label-free proteomics
bioinformatic analyses
addiction
cognitive disorder
molecular mechanism
Funding
17ZDA330/ National Social Science Fund of China
Figures
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