Advances in omics analysis technologies for methamphetamine-induced neurotoxicity and addiction
Year: 2026
Type: review
Abstract: Methamphetamine (METH) is highly addictive, and can cause neurotoxicity when misused over a prolonged period. METH-induced neurotoxicity and addiction involve multi-level biological alterations, including genetic susceptibility, aberrant epigenetic modifications, transcriptional imbalance, protein dysfunction, metabolic dysregulation, and microbial dysbiosis with changes in microbiota-derived metabolites. To systematically dissect these changes, genomics has been deployed to identify key gene polymorphisms linked to METH addiction susceptibility and epigenetic changes such as DNA methylation in brain regions following METH exposure. Transcriptomics dynamically profiles differential gene expression in addiction-relevant brain areas, particularly in pathways governing synaptic plasticity and neuroinflammation. Proteomics pinpoints the dysregulation of functional proteins associated with synaptic plasticity in response to METH. Metabolomics quantifies neurotransmitter depletion and redox imbalance induced by the drug. Microbiomics reveals gut microbiota dysbiosis and subsequent neural damage via the brain-gut axis. This review summarizes the applications of omics analysis technologies in METH neurotoxicity and addiction research, aiming to provide a reference for elucidating pathogenic mechanisms, identifying biomarkers, and discovering potential therapeutic targets.
Authors: Lisha XU, Lin MIAO, Jian HUANG, Juan LI
Institution: Kunming Medical University
Language: Chinese
Subfield: Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7201879426