A case of methamphetamine use disorder treated with the antibiotic drug minocycline

Tanibuchi, Yuko; Shimagami, Minoru; Fukami, Goro; Sekine, Yoshimoto; Iyo, Masaomi; Hashimoto, Kenji

doi:10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2009.12.005

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Volume 32, Issue 5 , Pages 559.e1-559.e3, September 2010

A case of methamphetamine use disorder treated with the antibiotic drug minocycline☆

Yuko Tanibuchi, M.D.
- Department of Psychiatry, Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba 260-8670, Japan
- Fukaya Mental Clinic, Fukaya, Saitama, Japan
- Division of Clinical Neuroscience, Chiba University Center for Forensic Mental Health, Chiba, Japan
- Corresponding author. Department of Psychiatry, Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba 260-8670, Japan. Tel.: +81 43 226 2149; fax: +81 43 226 2150.
Minoru Shimagami, M.D.
- Fukaya Mental Clinic, Fukaya, Saitama, Japan
Goro Fukami, M.D., Ph.D.
- Department of Psychiatry, Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba 260-8670, Japan
Yoshimoto Sekine, M.D., Ph.D.
- Division of Medical Treatment and Rehabilitation, Chiba University Center for Forensic Mental Health, Chiba, Japan
Masaomi Iyo, M.D., Ph.D.
- Department of Psychiatry, Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba 260-8670, Japan
Kenji Hashimoto, Ph.D.
- Division of Clinical Neuroscience, Chiba University Center for Forensic Mental Health, Chiba, Japan

Received 2 June 2009; accepted 16 December 2009. published online 22 January 2010.

Abstract

Methamphetamine (METH) use is one of the major public health concerns worldwide. Long-term use of METH induces not only dependence but also psychosis which is associated with METH-induced brain damage, including neuroinflammation produced by activated microglia. We report the case of a female patient whose psychotic symptoms in METH use disorder were successfully improved by anti-inflammatory drug minocycline therapy. Although the precise mechanism(s) underlying the efficacy of minocycline in METH use disorder are currently unclear, minocycline appears to be a good candidate for future investigation clinical trials for medication development in METH using populations.