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Australian researchers make world-first link between short-term meth use and Parkinson’s disease

  • Adelaide researchers have discovered a link between meth use and Parkinson’s
  • The world-first study was led by Uni of SA associate professor Gabrielle Todd
  • Dr Todd found that meth causes changes to the brain and movement problems 
  • It’s led to the state govt launching a campaign about the dangers of meth use

Australian researchers have discovered a link between short-term methamphetamine use and Parkinson’s disease in a world-first study.

The study into the link was headed by associate professor Gabrielle Todd from the University of South Australia.

She discovered that meth use can cause life long changes to areas of the brain that control movement, and consuming the drug ‘as little as five times’ could have lasting impacts on the brain.

‘Using methamphetamine, even just a few times, can lead to long-lasting effects on the body and it’s important to raise awareness of this in the community,’ she told ABC News.

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‘Parts of the brain that are responsible for movement are particularly vulnerable to the toxic effects of methamphetamine.’

She said meth use could also increase the risk of a stroke and impact the health of the heart and kidneys.

A world-first study has discovered a link between short-term meth use and Parkinson's disease (stock image)

A world-first study has discovered a link between short-term meth use and Parkinson’s disease (stock image) 

The research was led by University of South Australia associate professor Gabrielle Todd (pictured)

The research was led by University of South Australia associate professor Gabrielle Todd (pictured) 

Dr Todd’s study was the first to find a link between methamphetamine use and Parkinson’s disease in humans.

‘Methamphetamine is a drug that damages particular neurons in the brain, and these neurons are the same set of neurons that are damaged by Parkinson’s disease,’ she said.

‘Methamphetamine is actually so good at damaging these neurons that scientists used to use that drug as an animal model for Parkinson’s.

‘There’s a very clear scientific link between the effects of the drug on those neurons and there’s also a lot of other clinical and epidemiological data to support that link as well.’

The link was only previously established in animals.

The research has led to the South Australian government launching an advertising campaign ‘Don’t Let Meth Take Hold’ to inform people about the long-lasting effects of methamphetamine use.

South Australian NGO The Hospital Research group, which supports medical and health research, has put $100,000 towards the campaign.   

‘Don’t Let Meth Take Hold’ will be primarily aimed at teenagers and young people who are the primary users of methamphetamine compared to the rest of the Australian population.

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Advertisements will be on social media, online games and traditional forms of media.

There will also be 20,000 advertisements printed on pizza boxes. 

Dr Todd's research has led to the state government launching an ad campaign to inform South Australians about the dangers of methamphetamine usage

Dr Todd’s research has led to the state government launching an ad campaign to inform South Australians about the dangers of methamphetamine usage 

Australians are the heaviest users of meth in the world compared to those living in 24 other countries

Australians are the heaviest users of meth in the world compared to those living in 24 other countries

Australians are the heaviest users of methamphetamine in the world compared to those living in 24 other countries.

Australia recorded the highest consumption of the illicit drug per capita on a list of other Asian, European and Oceania nations in the latest report from the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission. 

The drug was most popular in Perth for capital city use, while those in regional NSW were using the drug more than any other rural area. 

The results were sampled from 13million Australians and compared from December, 2021 to February this year before being analysed by the national wastewater drug monitoring program. 

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