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        Thomas Newton, M.D.

Dr. Newton completed his undergraduate studies at Stanford, where he graduated with Distinction and Departmental Honors.  He then completed medical training at Yale and Internship and Residency at UCLA.  Over the past 10 years he has developed a program of human laboratory research into effects of cocaine and methamphetamine in drug-dependent volunteers.  Recently his group demonstrated that bupropion, an antidepressant/smoking cessation agent, significantly reduced the subjective effects produced by methamphetamine.  A subsequent clinical trial documented that bupropion reduced the frequency of methamphetamine use as well.  Other ongoing research involves investigation of the effects of disulfiram on reinforcing effects of cocaine, studies on the role of stress in methamphetamine dependence, the identification of novel treatments for methamphetamine dependence, and research into the role of methamphetamine in HIV infection and disease progression.  UCLA was recently awarded a Developmental Translational Research Center (as was MUSC).   The project at UCLA will investigate the role of inhibitory control functioning in methamphetamine dependence using studies involving imaging and human laboratory research linked to related research involving non-human primates and rodents. » more

1) Identify preclinical theories of addiction;
2) Describe limits of preclinical theories for predicting behavior; and
3) Discuss two potential medication treatments for methamphetamine dependence.