INVESTIGATING THE CHANGES OF THE BRAIN

SUGNAL DUE TO AMPHETAMINE TYPE STIMULANT (ATS

USAGE)

MOHAMED SHAFIQ BIN SHAHRIR

S2015909
KQB7001

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
UNIVERSITY OF MALAYA
KUALA LUMPUR

2023
A GRADUATION EXERCISE SUBMITTED TO THE
FACULTY OF ENGINEERING, UNIVERSITY OF
MALAYA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MASTERS DEGREE IN
BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING

MOHAMED SHAFIQ BIN SHAHRIR

DEPARTMENT OF BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING

UNIVERSITY OF MALAYA
KUALA LUMPUR

2023
 UNIVERSITY OF MALAYA
ORIGINAL LITERARY WORK DECLARATION

Name of Candidate: Mohamed Shafiq bin Shahrir (940822016395 )

Matric No: S2015909
Name of Degree: Masters of Biomedical Engineering (Coursework)
Title of Project Paper: Investigating the changes of the brain signal due to
amphetamine type stimulant (ATS) usage

Field of Study: Biomedical Signal Processing

I do solemnly and sincerely declare that:

(1) I am the sole author/writer of this Work;
(2) This Work is original;
(3) Any use of any work in which copyright exists was done by way of fair
dealing and for permitted purposes and any excerpt or extract from, or
reference to or reproduction of any copyright work has been disclosed
expressly and sufficiently and the title of the Work and its authorship have
been acknowledged in this Work;
(4) I do not have any actual knowledge nor do I ought reasonably to know that
the making of this work constitutes an infringement of any copyright work;
(5) I hereby assign all and every rights in the copyright to this Work to the
University of Malaya (“UM”), who henceforth shall be owner of the
copyright in this Work and that any reproduction or use in any form or by any
means whatsoever is prohibited without the written consent of UM having
been first had and obtained;
(6) I am fully aware that if in the course of making this Work I have infringed
any copyright whether intentionally or otherwise, I may be subject to legal
action or any other action as may be determined by UM.

Candidate’s Signature Date:

Subscribed and solemnly declared before,

Witness’s Signature Date:

Name:
Designation:

ii
 INVESTIGATING THE CHANGES OF THE BRAIN SIGNAL DUE TO

AMPHETAMINE TYPE STIMULANT (ATS) USAGE

ABSTRACT

Start here

Keywords:

iii
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

(Please delete this part): Most research reports, dissertations or theses have their

subsection to convey appreciation to those who have been involved in the study.

Use Ack title for acknowledgement heading and for style TOC1.

4
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Abstract.............................................................................................................................ii

Abstrak..............................................................................................................................ii

Acknowledgements...........................................................................................................ii

Table of Contents..............................................................................................................ii

List of Figures...................................................................................................................ii

List of Tables.....................................................................................................................ii

List of Symbols and Abbreviations...................................................................................ii

List of Appendices............................................................................................................ii

CHAPTER 1: CHAPTER TITLE (HEADING 1, H1).................................................2

1.1 First Subtitle (heading 2, h2)....................................................................................2

1.1.1 Second Subtitle (Heading3, h3)..................................................................2

1.1.1.1 Third subtitle (Heading4, h4)......................................................2

CHAPTER 2: TABLES..................................................................................................2

CHAPTER 3: FIGURES................................................................................................2

CHAPTER 4: NUMBERING AND STYLES...............................................................2

References.........................................................................................................................2

List of Publications and Papers Presented.........................................................................2

Appendix...........................................................................................................................2

5
 LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 3.1: Example..........................................................................................................2

6
 LIST OF TABLES

Table 2.1: Example............................................................................................................2

7
 LIST OF SYMBOLS AND ABBREVIATIONS

For examples:

CC : Central canal

DAB : 3,3’-diaminobenzidine

HRP : Horseradish peroxidase

MS222 : Tricaine methanesulfonate

8
 LIST OF APPENDICES

Appendix A: Example
7
……………………………………………………………...

9
 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background and history

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) recently released the

World Drug Report 2021, which showed that 5.5% of people aged 15-64 have used

drugs at least once in the past year. Out of these, 13% or 36.3 million people had a

substance use disorder. The number of drug users has increased by 22% from 2010 to

2019, largely due to global population growth. If demographic changes continue as

forecast, the global number of drug users is expected to increase by 11% by 2030.

In Malaysia, the number of drug users has exceeded 140,000 according to the 2019

data from the Malaysian Anti-Drug Agency. The issue of drug abuse is becoming

increasingly serious, and the problem is also trending younger. In a joint program

conducted by Oriental Daily and a radio station, it was found that crystal meth ranked

first in terms of the respondents' awareness, making it the most well-known drug.

Crystal methamphetamine, a new type of drug, is a clear crystal that resembles ice

and is either tasteless or slightly bitter. Its main ingredient is methamphetamine, also

known as methylamphetamine, a powerful central nervous system stimulant.

Methamphetamine was first synthesized from ephedrine by Japanese chemist Nagai

Nagayoshi in 1893, just a few years after the initial synthesis of amphetamines by

Romanian chemist Lazăr Edeleanu. Other drugs in the same class as crystal meth

include 3, 4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA), 3, 4-methylenedioxy-N-

ethylamphetamine, and other ring-amphetamine derivatives. There are also prescription

drugs in the amphetamine-type stimulant class, including mixed amphetamine salts,

dextroamphetamine, and lydesemiamphetamine.

10
 The main harms of amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) include developing drug

dependence, producing tolerance, altering mental activity, causing hallucinations,

damaging the nervous and cardiovascular system, and leading to abuse complications.

Since ATS stimulates and increases the excitability of the brain's central nervous system

after entering the body, the study of drug users' brain activity can provide insight into

the mechanism of methamphetamine action. Brain imaging methods used include

electroencephalography (EEG), functional nuclear magnetic resonance (fMRI),

functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), and magnetoencephalography. EEG has

many advantages, such as high time resolution, ease of use, high comfort, low cost, and

the ability to detect the effects of drug abuse on brain function. Therefore, more and

more researchers are using EEG to study ATS.

ERP measures neural activity in response to visual stimuli, so many scientists have

used ERP to study opioids, tranquilizers, stimulants, and methamphetamines, effectively

distinguishing drug users from non-users. There are many differences between the EEG

of dependent and normal individuals, which can quickly identify who is dependent on

ATS. However, the goal is to identify dependence quickly, rather than distinguish

between different types of drug users. Among drug users, there are light drug users and

heavy drug addicts, which can be distinguished using DSM-5.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) is

an updated categorization and diagnostic tool from the American Psychiatric

Association, published in 2013. Methamphetamine dependence is recognized as a

moderate to severe subtype of amphetamine-type substance use disorders in DSM-5,

while methamphetamine abuse is listed as a mild subtype. This means that

methamphetamine abuse is easier to treat and overcome compared to dependence.

Below is a table of the symptomatic effects of prolonged use of amphetamines.

11
 Phase Symptoms
Mild Restlessness, trembling, inability to
sleep, palpitations, dizziness,
headache, loss of appetite and loss of
libido.
Moderate Talkative, agitated, sweating, fever,
chest pain, fainting and heart failure.
Severe Hallucinations, coma, convulsions,
cerebral hemorrhage and shock death.
Long-term and heavy use Paranoia, hallucinations, irritability,
trance and delusion (mainly
persecution delusion) are often
interfered with by symptoms and
accompanied by nSSI or violent
aggression.
Withdrawal Fatigue, sleep disturbance,
dreaminess, depression, inability to
concentrate, restlessness, headache,
lethargy and
feeling of collapse, etc
Table 1.1 The symptomatic effects of amphetamines

1.2 Problem statement

The half-life of ATS (Amphetamine-Type Stimulants) varies between 10 and 30 hours,

depending on the individual's acidity and alkalinity levels in their body. Despite efforts

to detect drug abuse through biochemical tests, current methods often fail to diagnose

methamphetamine abuse after a brief pause in drug use. The DSM-5 (Diagnostic and

Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) is widely used to distinguish between ATS

abusers, dependents, and normal individuals, however, it has been known to cause

misdiagnosis and overdiagnosis. Addicts face a much more difficult journey to

overcome their addiction compared to abusers. Methamphetamine is unique compared

to traditional drugs like heroin in that it has the ability to cause severe psychological

dependence. As a result, it is crucial for professional psychologists to be involved in

drug treatment for ATS users.

12
Early identification and treatment of ATS abuse can prevent individuals from becoming

dependent on the drug, easing their withdrawal symptoms and leading them back to a

normal life. It is crucial to be able to reliably distinguish between ATS abuse,

dependence, and normal behavior. The unconscious mind can often hide the truth,

making an electroencephalography exam the most reliable way to accomplish this task.

1.3 Aim and objectives of this study

The aim of this study is the examine the impact of amphetamine on the human brain

through the analysis of electroencephalography (EEG) results from individuals who are

normal, amphetamine-dependent and amphetamine-abusing. The study endeavours to

explore the feasibility of using non-invasive techniques , like EEG, to differentiate

between these groups. Additionally, the study seeks to shed light on the progressive

manner in which methamphetamine affects the brain.

1.4 Scope of study

The aim of this study was to assess and compare the EEG readings of amphetamine-

dependent individuals, amphetamine abusers, and healthy controls. The objective was to

find an effective way of detecting early evidence of amphetamine use by examining the

EEG patterns of these groups. The results of the study can assist in accurately

distinguishing between amphetamine dependents, abusers, and non-users, and promptly

referring addicts and abusers to rehabilitation centers for recovery.

In this research, all aspects of the effects of amphetamine were thoroughly investigated,

and the EEG machine was expertly operated. The researchers were equipped with the

necessary skills to perform initial EEG analysis and advanced data analysis using

MATLAB. The study aimed to fill the gap in early amphetamine prevention by

providing a basis for evaluating the level of addiction in medical institutions.

13
The data for the study was collected from Malaysian volunteers and processed through

filtering and preprocessing, followed by standardizing and normalizing the data to

ensure accuracy and reliability. The EEG machine was thoroughly tested to accurately

record the Electroencephalograms of the Malaysian participants. The data analysis was

performed using MATLAB R2021a.

1.5 Organization of thesis

The paper is structured into three distinct chapters that cover different aspects of the

research. The first chapter provides the research background and context of the work,

including the importance of the categorization of amphetamine-dependent and

amphetamine-abusers. This chapter also highlights the gaps in current knowledge and

understanding in this field. The second section of this chapter outlines the problem

statement, research objectives, and objectives, while the final section outlines the scope

and organization of the paper.

Chapter 2 is a comprehensive review of the literature on the effects of amphetamines on

the human brain. This chapter specifically focuses on EEG as the main technology for

investigating these effects. This section provides an overview of how researchers around

the world are using EEG to understand the impact of amphetamine stimulants on the

human brain. The chapter also summarizes the current state of research on this topic.

In Chapter 3, the research methodology and EEG analysis are discussed in detail. This

section provides an in-depth look at the research process, including the equipment used

and the steps involved in conducting the study. The process of the project is explained

in detail, from the collection and filtering of data to the final analysis using MATLAB

R2021a. This chapter also emphasizes the importance of the researchers having the

necessary skills and knowledge to conduct a thorough analysis of EEG data, including

the use of MATLAB for systematic analysis.

14
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW

15
1.1 Introduction

Drugs will almost always have an effect on

16
 REFERENCES

(Please delete this part): All works or studies referred to in the research

report/dissertation/thesis in the form of quotations or citations must be included in the

references. The references should be written consistently in the American Psychological

Association (APA) format or in another format approved by the faculty.

Each reference should be written in single spacing format and a double space should

be left between references. This list of references should not be numbered.

Use Reference style.

Examples:

In text format: (Angamuthu & Ramalingam, 2011)

Buchwalow, I. B., and Böcker, W. (2010). Immunohistochemistry: basics and methods.

Berlin: Springer Verlag.

Caamaño-Tubío, R. I., Pérez, J., Ferreiro, S., and Aldegunde, M. (2007). Peripheral

serotonin dynamics in the rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Comparative
Biochemistry and Physiology Part C: Toxicology & Pharmacology, 145(2): 245-
255

Cakir, Y., and Strauch, S. M. (2005). Tricaine (MS-222) is a safe anesthetic compound
compared to benzocaine and pentobaritol to induce anesthesia in leopard frogs
(Rana pipiens). Pharmacological Reports, 57: 467-474.

Cameron, A. A., Plenderleith, M. B. and Snow, P. J. (1990). Organization of the spinal

cord in four species of elasmobranch fishes: cytoarchitecture and distribution of
serotonin and selected neuropeptides. The Journal of Comparative Neurology,
297: 201-218

17
 APPENDIX

(Please delete this part): Appendices consist of additional illustration of data sources,

raw data and quoted citations which are too long to be placed in the text. The appendix

supports the written text of the research report/dissertation/thesis. Research instruments

such as questionnaires, maps or computer programmes are parts of appendix too.

Appendices can be divided into Appendix A, B, C.

This page is optional; if you do not have any appendices, delete the entire page.

18