METH is a psychostimulant drug of abuse that is easily synthesized and highly abused, especially in the western United States. High-dose administrations of METH can lead to persistent dopaminergic deficits. These deficits are similar in nature to deficits observed in patients with Parkinson's disease, therefore multiple, high-dose administrations of METH have been used as a model of Parkinson's disease.

It is interesting to note that many neurological disorders, including Parkinson's disease, are linked to oligomerization of various proteins. Such disorders include Huntington's disease, ALS, and Alzheimer's disease. Our lab has found that multiple, high-dose administrations of METH lead to DAT oligomer formation. My research addresses the components underlying this oligomer formation.