Apples for Health- Cause of age effect in drug response found

Cause of age effect in drug response found

PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 31 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists have identified the cause of age differences in response to psychostimulant medicines.

Psychostimulants, such as Ritalin and Adderall, have been shown to relieve symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in both children and adults. In adults, however, some medicines used to treat the illness can also result in euphoria, and lead to abuse.

Professor Ellen Unterwald of Temple University and researchers from Thomas Jefferson University and Rockefeller University identified a molecular mechanism known as the neurotrophin system as the cause of the age difference effect.

Neurotrophins are proteins that signal cells to survive, differentiate, or grow.
Unterwald identified a brain-derived neurotrophic factor and its receptor, TrkB, as the cause of age differences in stimulant response.

"Our findings suggest the rapidly developing young brain is able to adapt and protect itself against the rewarding effects of stimulants due to the input of the TrkB system," said Unterwald. Although many studies have found susceptibility to the addictive properties of stimulants is age-dependent, the new study is the first to link the TrkB neurotrophin system to addictive responses. The researchers said their findings will aid development of new treatments for childhood neuropsychiatric disorders.

The study appears in the Journal of Neuroscience.

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