Cerebral microvascular injury in experimental drug abuse.

An experimental drug abuse research project is reported, in which monkeys and rats were placed on various I.V. amphetamine (Desoxyn) and I.V. barbiturate (Seconal) regimes. The monkeys were studied by serial cerebral angiography. At the end of the study all animals were sacrificed for histological examination. I.V. methamphetamine produced relatively severe cerebral vascular injury and brain damage in most animals. At least part of the damage seemed to be the result of direct vascular injury, arterial and venous. The misuse of Seconal and Ritalin also appeared to be hazardous, but these studies are incomplete, and the degree of hazard has not been fully evaluated.