Drugs, the brain, and your responsibility - Objectives:

Define what is a “drug”. Describe how drugs affect the brain. Identify reasons people use drugs. Describe how drugs are classified. Define addiction and why people get addicted

to drugs and other substances. Describe the dangers associated with the use

of certain drugs.

What is a drug? Traditionally, a drug is a therapeutic chemical designed

to have maximal benefits with minimal risks of side effects or toxicity.

What is a psychoactive drug? A Drug that can change cognition, behavior and

emotions by changing the functioning of the brain. Name some psychoactive drugs: Caffeine, heroin, alcohol, Prozac

Describe some facts about the brain:

* Ultimately the brain responds to, processes, and initiates all behavior, normal and pathological.

The brain stores each fact, thought, belief, feeling and emotion that you have ever experienced.

Changes in brain chemistry produced by external environmental, internal stimuli or drugs affects how the brain functions and thus effects all of our behavior and moods.

How do drugs work?

When a psychoactive drug is taken, there is a receptor in the brain that turns on and the chemistry of the brain is then altered. It is not necessary to take a drug to alter brain chemistry.

For example, if you get scared, your heart rate, BP, arousal increases and a receptor in your brain is turned on…it is called the

Fight or flight response. Is there a drug that produces the same results? Yes, cocaine, also stimulates pleasure receptors

How are drugs classified?:

According to the physiological effect they have Stimulants, speed up the central nervous

system(CNS). Depressants, slow down the CNS Psychoactive drugs alter feelings Narcotics, are powerful painkillers Designer drugs try to mimic narcotics or other

drugs:amphetamines, hallucinogens.

Neurophysiology: how do psychoactive drugs work?

The brain consists of two types of cells: neurons and glia

Neurons transmit information from all parts of the body and also from the outside

Glial cells provide structural support of neurons and have nutritive functions.

Neurons communicate with other neurons across a space called a synapse.

In the brain the neurons will make contact with several thousand neuronal inputs, but the human brain has 100 billion neurons.

Neurons communicate changes in their environment through the release of neurotransmitters.

Neurotransmitters can be inhibitory or excitatory in nature

Major neurotransmitters;

Dopamine-motors systems, pleasure/reward, mental illness, craving

Norepinephrine-arousal, stress, mental illness learning, sleep• epinephrine-sympathetic arousal• Serotonin-sleep, dreaming, mental

illness,craving eating• GABA,gamma-aminobutyric acid- relaxation

Where do neurotransmitters come from?

Neurotransmitters are made in the brain from biochemicals that come from outside the brain.

Some neurotransmitters are made from amino acids, the building blocks of protein.

If the diet is deficient, then some neurotransmitters cannot be made.

Where do neurotransmitters go?

To the synapse and either attach to presynaptic or post synaptic receptors.

It is this magnificent interplay in the functional activity of the brain cells that enables us to perceive and respond to our environment and to ponder a thought, remember a name, or become intoxicated by the scent of a flower, perfume, or drug.

Why do people use drugs?

Medicinal purposes Recreational/social-decrease tension Sensation seeking-thrills Altered states-performance, creativity Peer pressure Numb emotional pain, conscious and unconscious Religious or spiritual practice curiosity

What is addiction?

A brain disease, in which some chemicals in the brain are deficient or inefficient.

Uncontrollable, compulsive, chronic dependence on a drug.

A pathological relationship with a substance that has life damaging potential.

The spectrum of addiction could be from alcohol, tobacco, eating, working, computers to heroin, chocolate.

What are some causes of addiction?

Very complex and interrelated variables: genetics, family influences, friends, life events, social and cultural values, availability and personality.

Studies have shown that genetics plays a strong role in alcoholism.

Studies have also shown that there is a failure in the “addictive brains” for a chemical reward system, so the brain feels less natural pleasure.

Lets look at addiction, a disease:

There is a lot of stigma against addiction, and this is a major social problem

It is important to reduce the stigma because negative public attitudes adversely affect the

the level and quality of care. The field of drug addiction, treatment and

prevention has suffered from lack of focus due to poor research on describing addiction as a disease.

* Much of the confusion is based upon incomplete understanding of the differences between intentional drug abuse and addictive drug disease.

There is a great deal of misinformation about the pharmacology of addicting drugs.

Recently, new neuroscience research that strongly indicates that the pleasure pathway (medial forebrain bundle) of the brain is affected by all addictions, particularly in the pharmacological qualities of euphoria, craving and the feeling of “drug need”.

We need better research to overcome:

SPAM – Stigma, Prejudice, Anger and Misunderstanding

All these lead to myths (widely held inaccurate beliefs), as compared to facts.

90% of 1996 Gallup poll respondents thought alcoholism is a disease.

60% of 2001 telephone polled addicts thought addiction is a disease.

What is good research ?

A study that is valid, many large controlled studies, replicable results, much peer-reviewed in published literature.

A poor study – few replicable studies, highly speculative results, little peer review in the published literature.

Why is drug addiction a social problem?

It affects crime rate. It affects our future generations by affecting

childcare. It affects accident rates, death rates. It affects daily interactions between people.

Alcohol: The Socially Accepted Addictive beverage

Is perhaps the world’s oldest known drug. It has historically been known as a food, and

today a drug. It is one of the few drugs that does not act on a

specific receptor site in the body. It affects the central nervous system. It is toxic to the liver, heart, brain, gut,

pancreas and fetus. Has been beneficial in reducing heart attacks.

No other drug causes so much damage to the physical, social, emotional lives of people.

Yet we still do not understand the mechanisms through which it works to produce intoxication and addiction.

80% of all high school students have tried alcohol and 5-10% drink to intoxication.

There are 2 general types of “problem drinkers” 1. Abusers, who intentionally drink too much, too often.

2. Dependent users-who lack control over their use, they have a medical disease and brain dysfunction.

Some more facts:

There are more male alcoholics than female 3:1 Strong hereditary component to alcoholism. Pronounced affects on divide attention tasks, like

driving which requires the driver to remember many tasks:

driving, wearing a seat belt, turn on lights, pay attention to the road, signs, other drivers, control lane position, speed, pedestrians, make estimates of time and distance.

Guidelines for drinking:

Pace your drinking, allow time between drinks Do not drink every day. You decide when to drink. Drink something else in-between drinks. Do not drink on an empty stomach. Avoid other OTC meds

Club drugs: Ecstasy

MDMA-methamphetamines with hallucinogens, LSD like.

Also known as: Adam, XTC, Beans, Love bug, Clarity and Lover’s speed.

Because so many unknown chemicals are used brain damage and death are heightened.

Affects nerve cells that produce serotonin. Depressive hangovers, confusion, paranoid thinking

can occur afterwards.

Rohypnol:

Trade name for flunitrazepam, and has been a serious concern because of its abuse in “date rape”.

Incapacitates the person and prevents them from resisting sexual assault.

AKA: rophies, roofies, roach and rope. Produces amnesia, and can be lethal when

mixed with alcohol and other depressants.

GHB-gammahydroxbutrate

Euphroic,sedative and anabolic(body-building) results. It was available in health food stores from 1980s to

1992. AKA-Liquid Ecstasy, Soap, Easy lay, Georgia Home

Boy. Seizures and coma can occur especially if mixed with

methamphetamines. Available over the internet, some rave night clubs,

college campuses and on the street.

Ketamine

Is an anesthetic used predominantly in animals.

Injected or snorted causing hallucinations and dream like states, also used for date rape.

AKA- vitamin K, Special K Causes delirium, amnesia, impaired motor

function, high blood pressure, depression and can cause fatal respiratory problems

Cocaine(comes from the coca shrub and is a crystalline white powder):

Powerful stimulant, feelings of well-being, euphoria and extreme exhilaration.

Snorted, liquifyied and injected or smoked, free-base.

Can cause headache, shaking, loss of appetite, loss of sex drive.

Free-basing can damage liver and lungs. Can cause strokes, bleeding in the brain, heart

attacks and sudden death.

Marijuana

Active ingredient THC delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol

400 chemicals constitute marijuana 60 of these are cannabinoids and THC is one

of them that produces sensations of marijuana. Binds with fatty tissue, gonads, brain and a

single ingestion of THC may stay in the body upto 30 days.

Marijuana continued:

When inhaled it reaches the brain in 14 seconds.

Difficult to classify but are considered hallucinogens

Sense of euphoria and relaxation, time seems to slow, senses appear heighted.

Memory of recent events, physical coordination and perception may be impaired.

Marijuana continued:

May be an aphrodisiac, but over time may lead to the opposite, depressing sex drive, it reduces testosterone and leading to impotency.

Causes rapid heat rate and high blood pressure.

Is not as dangerous as alcohol, it is addicting and produces craving, at least in some users.

Withdrawal includes:restlessness, insomnia, irritability, decreased appetite, tremors.

Heroin:

Is a narcotic synthesized from morphine. Strong sense of euphoria, leads to physical

and psychological addiction. Sharing needles can lead to AIDS and

hepatitis. Use has increased among blue collar workers,

teens and women in recent years due to increased availability of smoking or snorting.

A final thought:

The best treatment for any alcohol or drug abuse is to treat it by engaging in meaningful, enjoyable activities.

If you find yourself “abusing” yourself with anything, it is wise to seek the assistance of a professional that can help you figure out what is going on.