“Mātai Research Centre’s Study Maps Methamphetamine’s Effects on the Brain and Potential for Recovery in New Zealand”

New Zealand has one of the highest rates of methamphetamine use in the world, with almost a third of middle-aged citizens having tried it, according to a 2020 study by the University of Otago. Many of these users are in areas with high social deprivation and addiction to the drug has been linked to organized crime and violence. The Methamphetamine Brain Recovery study, conducted by the Mātai research center, is offering a new approach to help users. The study, which has been running for a year, partners with the local community to offer participants finely detailed MRI images of their brains. Dr. Samantha Holdsworth, who is leading the study, hopes this will encourage recovery by demonstrating the potential for improvement and recovery. The study has already observed some signs of white haze clearing in scans taken after several months of abstinence. For some participants, being a part of the study offers a chance to give something back to a community that has seen so much destruction from the drug.