Psychostimulants influence oxidative stress and redox signatures: the role of DNA methylation

Objective: Psychostimulant use induces oxidative stress and alters redox imbalance, influencing epigenetic signatures in the central nervous system (CNS). Among the various epigenetic changes, DNA methylation is directly linked to oxidative stress metabolism via critical redox intermediates such as NAD+, S-adenosylmethionine (SAM), and 2-oxoglutarate. Fluctuations in these intermediates directly influence epigenetic signatures, which leads to detectable alterations in gene expression and protein modification. This review focuses on recent advances in the impact of psychostimulant use on redox-imbalance-induced DNA methylation to develop novel epigenetics-based early interventions. Methods: This review is based on collective research data obtained from the PubMed, Science Direct, and Medline databases. The keywords used in the electronic search in these databases were redox, substance use disorder, psychostimulants, DNA methylation, and neurological diseases. Results: Instability in DNA methylation levels and redox expression effects are reported in various behavioral models stimulated by psychostimulants and opioids, indicating the widespread involvement of epigenetic changes in DNA methylation signatures in neurological disorders. Discussion: This review summarizes the need for more studies and experimental evaluations of DNA-methylation-based strategies that may help to understand the association between psychostimulant use and oxidative stress or redox-linked metabolic recalibration influencing neuronal impairments.