Skip to main content

Rx Amphetamine Use Linked to Increased Odds of Psychosis, Mania

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Sep 17, 2024.

By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, Sept. 17, 2024 -- Past-month prescription amphetamine use is associated with increased odds of psychosis and mania, with increased odds for high doses (>30 mg dextroamphetamine equivalents), according to a study published online Sept. 12 in The American Journal of Psychiatry.

Lauren V. Moran, M.D., M.P.H., from McLean Hospital in Belmont, Massachusetts, and colleagues conducted a case-control study using electronic health records to compare the odds of incident psychosis or mania with past-month exposure to prescription amphetamines. Cases were patients aged 16 to 35 years hospitalized for incident psychosis or mania between 2005 and 2019 (1,374 individuals), and controls were patients with an initial psychiatric hospitalization for other reasons, most commonly depression and/or anxiety (2,748 individuals).

The researchers found that compared with no use, past-month prescription amphetamine use was associated with increased odds of psychosis and mania among cases and controls (adjusted odds ratio, 2.68; 95 percent confidence interval, 1.90 to 3.77). There was a dose-response relationship, with high doses of amphetamines (>30 mg dextroamphetamine equivalents) associated with 5.28-fold increased odds of psychosis or mania. Compared with no use, past-month methylphenidate use was not associated with increased odds of psychosis or mania (adjusted odds ratio, 0.91; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.54 to 1.55).

"The clinical utility of prescribing doses of amphetamines that exceed 30 mg dextroamphetamine equivalents is unproven; coupled with the elevated risk of inducing psychosis or mania, we recommend minimizing this practice," the authors write.

Several authors disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical industry.

Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Posted September 2024

Read this next

Preop Macular Thickness May Be Marker of Postop Delirium in Seniors

FRIDAY, April 4, 2025 -- In older patients undergoing surgery, preoperative macular thickness may be a marker for vulnerability to developing postoperative delirium, according to...

Mortality Increased With Hospital-Based Care for Hallucinogen Use

MONDAY, March 3, 2025 -- Hospital-based care for hallucinogen use is associated with increased mortality, according to a study published online March 3 in CMAJ, the journal of the...

Screen Time Tied to Manic Symptoms in Preteens

MONDAY, Feb. 24, 2025 -- Screen time such as social media and video games may be associated prospectively with manic symptoms in early adolescence, according to a study published...

More news resources

Subscribe to our newsletter

Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.