[Alterations in brain distribution of methamphetamine in methamphetamine-sensitized animals].

[11C]Methamphetamine ([11C]MAP) was synthesized by an automated on-line [11C]methylation system for a position emission tomography (PET) study. The author newly prepared a MAP-sensitized dog by repeated treatment of MAP, and studied the brain distribution of [11C]MAP in normal and MAP.sensitized dogs. The maximal level of accumulation of [11C]MAP in the sensitized dog brain was 1.4 times higher than that in the control. No difference was found in the metabolism of MAP between the two conditions. A significant increase in [11C]MAP uptake into the sensitized dog brain was prevented by haloperidol and cocaine pretreatments. These results suggest that changes in the pharmacokinetic profile of MAP in the brain affect the development or expression of MAP-induced behavioral sensitization.