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Drug Effects & Neurotransmitters. Dopamine. Natural “Reward System” Critical to learning and desire. Most commonly associated with our “pleasure” system. Crucial in encoding of sport-oriented motor skills. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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Drug Effects & Neurotransmitters
Dopamine
• Natural “Reward System”
• Critical to learning and desire.
• Most commonly associated with our “pleasure” system.
• Crucial in encoding of sport-oriented motor skills.
• Disorders with dopamine levels are linked to problems with memory, attention, problem-solving, social anxiety, bipolar, depression, ADD, Parkinson’s disease, and schizophrenia.
Serotonin
• Plays important role in regulation of body temperature, mood, sleep, sexuality, appetite and vomiting.
• Low levels of serotonin are found in people with depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, migraines and irritable bowel syndrome.
• Sunlight can naturally increase serotonin release!
Norepinephrine
• Part of your “fight-or-flight” response.
• Commonly called adrenaline.
• Released at times of stress.
• Excitatory to many regions of the body and brain.
• Plays a large role in attention and focus.
• Changes in normal levels are linked to ADD and depression.
Endorphins
• Released to inhibit/stop pain receptors.
• This is the brain’s own Morphine.
• Released at times of intense exercise or severe injury.
GABA
• The chief inhibitory neurotransmitter of of the CNS.
• Stops most neurons by creating a hyperpolarization.
• Increased GABA causes relaxation, anti-anxiety and anti-convulsive effects.
Histamine
• Released by white blood cells to increase blood vessel diameter (vasodilation).
• Increases brain activity.
• Anti-histamines are common over the counter cold medicines – that will cause drowziness.
• Many anti-histamines are chemically altered to produce methamphetamines.
Example of Anti-depressant Medication Action: NARI or MAOA inhibitors
Why is drug use dangerous to normal neurotransmitter function?
• Can cause excess neurotransmitter release.• Can act to block NT receptors.• Can block NT uptake/removal.• Can stop normal NT production (too much or too
little) for the long-term.• Can damage normal NT receptors (create too many
or have too few) for the long-term.• Can impair development of permanent neuron
connections, critical to learning and pleasure for the long-term.
• All of these NT problems lead to a variety of neurological disorders and mental illness.
Cocaine’s Action on a Neuron
Illegal Drugs and the NTs they affect.
• Marijuana = +dopamine, +serotonin, +GABA, - norepinephrine.
• Ecstasy – +serotonin, +dopamine
• Methamphetamine = +dopamine
• Cocaine = +dopamine, +norepinephrine and +serotonin
Legal Drugs and the NTs they affect.
• Vicodin – mimics endorphin.
• OxyContin – mimics endorphin.
• Alcohol – +GABA, -ACH, +endorphin
• Nicotine – +dopamine, +norepinephrine
• Caffeine – blocks Adenosine (an inhibitory NT) in CNS.