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Drug addiction neurobiological mechanisms essay
Drug addiction neurobiological mechanisms essay
Effects of drugs on the human body
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Ehler 2
Drug Effects on The Nervous System
Thesis Statement: Drug abuse has a greater effect on the nervous system than drugs taken on a prescription. I. Drug use
A. Definition B. Reason they do II. Addiction A.Cause B. Difficulty III. Effects A. Dangers 1. HIV/AIDS 2. Cancer 3. Death B. Damage 1.Brain Function 2. Communication IV. Proper use V. Classes of Drugs A.Stimulants B. Depressants C. Ecstasy
Ehler 3
Drug Effects on The Nervous System Drugs have a tremendous effect on people’s lives, due to the way it affects their nervous system. Some may not think that drugs can do so much damage, but they learn after being introduced to drug abuse. Drug abuse has a greater effect on the nervous system than
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(Drugs and the Nervous System). Seeing alcohol is absorbed in the blood it can have a bigger effect on people. Blood alcohol is helpful to see if someone has consumed too much alcohol. 0.02-0.04 blood alcohol level causes impairment and sedation, 0.50-0.60 can result in coma or death. (Drugs and the Nervous System 964) If a lot of one drug is consumed in a short amount of time the person can die. (Drugs and the Nervous system) Drugs can affect the brain in a big way. The brain takes several pictures in a second, if someone was on drugs that would cause the pictures to get foggy. (Drugs and the Nervous System) The brain has receptors that hold Neurotransmitters. The Neurotransmitters fit into certain receptors because they all have their own shape. Drugs are able to fit into those receptors and affect they way someone’s mind functions. (Drugs 101, 19) Neurons are able to adapt to the drug, which would make it to where someone would need a higher dose to get a high. (Drugs 101, …show more content…
(Drugs and the Nervous System) If drugs are not used properly it can be very fatal. Some people think it’s a good idea to combined drugs. If you combined a drug it can result in slow breathing, slow heart rate, and a slow respiratory system. (Central Nervous System) Some drugs, like alcohol, can be absorbed in the blood, which can cause a larger effect. (Drugs and the Nervous System 964) Combination of drugs can result in death. (Central Nervous System) Stimulants are one of the many drugs that people abuse. If a stimulant is abused it can result in Irregular heartbeat, dangerously high body temperatures, and/or the potential for cardiovascular failure or seizures. (Central Nervous System) Stimulants can also increase the activity in the Central Nervous System. (Drugs and The Nervous System) Stimulant abuse is very dangerous. (Central Nervous System) Stimulants are something people should play around
Amphetamines produce feelings of euphoria, relieve fatigue, improve performance, increase activity, and suppress appetite. Euphoric effects associated with the use of amphetamines, increase potential for abuse. Consequently, prolonged use of amphetamines may lead to drug dependence and tolerance. Desired effects are only achieved by increasing to higher doses of amphetamine, which can result in an acute overdose. Seizures, hypertension, tachycardia, hyperthermia, psychosis, hallucinations, stroke, or death can be experienced. Additional reports revealed that those who abuse amphetamines were significantly more likely to report using a greater number of illicit substances including nicotine, marijuana, cocaine, hallucinogens, and opiates.
Cocaine. National Institute of Drug Abuse: The science of drug abuse and addiction, Retrieved from http://www.drugabuse.gov/about-nida/directors-page Holman, B. (1994) The 'Secondary' of the 'Secondary' of the 'Secondary' of the 'Secondary' of the 'Secondary' of the 'Secondary' of the 'Secondary' of the 'Secondary Biological effects of central nervous system stimulants. Retrieved from http://web.a.ebscohost.com.subzero.lib.uoguelph.ca/ehost/pdfviewer/pd fviewer?sid=118723c1-a0ab-413a-ace1.
Drugs are substances that disturb this delicate balance, because they have “passkeys” that let them open certain “locks” located between the neurons. The brain automatically adjusts to these substances from outside the body by producing fewer of its own natural “keys”. Cocaine is type of drug that affects the dopamine is a neurotransmitter which is connected with emotions and noradrenalin is connected with alertness. Cocaine is considered as an illegal drug in most countries but some considered it as an legal drug. Although cocaine is an illegal drug earlier ancient people used to coonsider it as a medicine to treat many illness. Cocaine is absorbed in the dopamine and the...
Methamphetamine affects the central nervous system, and it causes the user to be more active, more talkative, euphoric (high), and also causes the user to lose their appetite. Methamphetamine came into existence in the early 20th century from the drug called amphetamine. Its earliest uses were as a nasal decongestant and as a bronchial inhaler. Methamphetamine is different from amphetamine in the fact th...
...te an artificial high. Cocaine can cause serious damage to the nervous system, as it eats away chunks of the brain and increases blood pressure, heart rate and body temperature, often for the rest of the addict¡¯s life.
The most commonly abused substances are Nicotine, Inhalants, Alcohol, Cocaine, Amphetamines, Prescription medications, Heroin, Ecstasy and Marijuana. 1a(National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2011) Initially, a person may find themselves using substances voluntarily and with confidence that they will be able to dictate their personal use. However, over the period of time that drug use is repeated, changes are taking place throughout the brain, whether it is functionally or structurally. Drugs contain chemicals that enter the communication system of the brain and disturb the way in which nerve cells would typically send, receive, and process information. The chemicals within these drugs will cause a disruption to the communication system by either imitating the brain’s natural chemical messengers or by over-stimulating the brains “reward system” by sending mass amounts of dopamine. As an individual prolongs his or her use of these substances, they may develop an addiction.
Chemical messengers transmit information from nerve cells to nerve cells in the body and the brain. Your nerve cells are called neurons, and their chemical messengers are called neurotransmitters. Chemicals like hallucinogens can disrupt this communication system, and the results are changes in the way you sense the world around you. There's still a lot that scientists don't know about the effects of hallucinogens on the brain, though. Some hallucinogens occur naturally in trees, vines, seeds, fungi and leaves.
There are many biological factors that are involved with the addicted brain. "The addicted brain is distinctly different from the nonaddicted brain, as manifested by changes in brain metabolic activity, receptor availability, gene expression, and responsiveness to environmental cues." (2) In the brain, there are many changes that take place when drugs enter a person's blood stream. The pathway in the brain that the drugs take is first to the ventral tegmentum to the nucleus accumbens, and the drugs also go to the limbic system and the orbitofrontal cortex, which is called the mesolimbic reward system. The activation of this reward system seems to be the common element in what hooks drug users on drugs (2).
Repeated drug use over time changes the brain structure, and functions in long-lasting and fundamental ways. For example, in marijuana or heroin, they have similar structure to the chemical messengers called neurotransmitters (naturally produce by the brain). So because of this similarity the drugs are able to fool the brain receptors and active nerve cells to send abnormal messages.
The altered states of consciousness produced by drugs presents an all-to-common phenomenon in today’s society. Whether the desired sensation comes in the form of energy, a means of relaxation, or pain reduction, many people go to great lengths and present their bodies to threatening conditions in order to achieve this euphoric “high.” Unfortunately, the use of these drugs very often comes with dangerous side effects that users must learn to manage with for the rest of their life. According to neuroscientists, our entire conscious existence bases itself off of the lighting-fast reactions occurring in our nervous system (Nichols, 2012). Therefore, changing these neurological reactions can permanently effect our conscious being (Blatter, 2012). The physical and neurological effects from the use and abuse of stimulants, sedatives, hallucinogens, organic solvents, and athletic performance enhancing drugs will be discussed in order to better comprehend why certain individuals expose themselves to such dangerous materials with seemingly no regard to the permanent consequences associated with such actions.
Cocaine and the Nervous System. [online] Available at: http://serendip.bryanmawr.edu/exchange.node/1739 [Accessed: 2 Oct 2013]. Donaghy, M. 2005. "The Species of Neurology.
Once the brain and the neurological activities are interfered with, a disconnection is created leading to loss of memory. Additionally, the drug users may lose their reasoning abilities, where they end up making dangerous decision. This affects their behavior as their decision making is largely influenced by the drug used and the need for more drugs (Fish, 2006).
Amphetamines are typically used to provide the same effect that pure adrenaline does. The drug is specified for people with attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity as well as narcolepsy, although if you decide to abuse the drug and use it for recreational purposes you may start to feel paranoia and nervousness. Using amphetamines can also put a strain on the circulatory system by causing the user's blood pressure to increase suddenly. (Amphetamine) Long term psychological effects of the drug can cause something called amphetamine psychosis which is much like paranoid schizophrenia. This could lead towards hallucinations, paranoid delusions, and obsessions. (Amphetamine)
Abuse can cause countless medical problems to the body. A person who is addicted will continue to stimulate themselves regardless if they are aware of the negative chain reactions. Once addicted, it becomes difficult to stop due to how the body has become dependent. Health will be harmed the more a stimulant is used. Health effects include: cardiovascular disease, strokes, cancer, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, lung disease, mental disease, birth defects. Mental health is what keeps a person in the right mind to make better decisions and have better control in life. Drugs have the ability to change mood and behavior. If drugs have affected the brain already, the desire increases which changes mental health. Some may not realize that they have been affected their health negatively. “A person who abuses drugs may not realize they have a problem until pronounced effects of drug abuse are seen, often physically. While drug abuse effects on the body vary depending on the drug used, all drug abuse negatively impacts one 's health (Addictions Community). Since drugs create many health issues, treatment is not a simple task. Treatments are hard to obtain and addictions often go
Drugs are chemicals that change the way a person's body or mind works. Drugs are not good for health as they have many side effects and damage our brain, heart and other important organs. Drug is a depressant that slows down the functions of the central nervous system and makes us less aware of the events around us. I...