Lesher says, “Addiction is a brain disease expressed in the form of compulsive behavior.” As with most chronic diseases, addiction should also be treated with multiple recurring treatments since the brain chemistry of addicts often causes them to relapse into drug use. Lesher makes his case that addiction is a brain disease by stating that addicts cannot quit taking drugs on their own because they require medical treatment like most ill patients. The authors final opinion on addiction is that initial drug use is present due to the voluntary behavior of the addict and while it does not absolve the user of their responsibility as it was their fault, once they have developed an addiction, their brain has chemically changed so much that they can not will themselves to quit and must be treated as though they have a medical disease. NO: Alva Noe states that addiction is not a disease of the brain. First, he points that not all addictions are chemical substances and there are many activities that can be addictive to people.
c) How does one nerve cell communicate with another? - Nerve cells communicate with one another through neurotransmitters. 2. a) Explain what neurotransmitters are? - Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gaps between neurons. When released by the sending neuron, neurotransmitters travel across the synapse and bind to receptor sites on the receiving neuron, thereby influencing where that neuron will generate a neural impulse.
When the nicotine in a cigarette is inhaled this activates nicotinic receptors in the brain which leads to a release of dopamine in the NA. This creates a sense of pleasure however this sensation of the nicotine is rapidly broken done by enzymes in the liver and removed from the bloodstream so within hours this pleasure sensation is replaces by low moods and reduced concentration. According to the biological model people with certain genes may find it harder to stop behaviour once it has started. There is no single gene responsible for this, however a number of genes have been linked to playing a role. This has been shown in research done by Noble et Al in which a gene DRD2 responsible for the D2 dopamine receptor, to severe alcoholism.
– Effects: lower heart rate, shallow breathing, stoned feeling, gouging, low blood sugar level, extreme relaxation. Stimulants/party drugs – this includes ecstasy, MDMA, cocaine and new designer drugs. These are most commonly consumed orally via pill form or nasally in powdered form. Effects: High state of consciousness, increased heart rate, sweating, increased thirst, lots of energy, big crashes, etc. Psychoactive – cannabis is usually smoked in a roll-up or pipe.
Each neurotransmitter will have a specific effect on specific nerve cells. Neurotransmitters can either be excitatory or they can be inhibitory. When a neurotransmitter is excitatory then they will be able to help communicate a nerve impulse. If a neurotransmitter is inhibitory then it will hinder the communication of the nerve impulse. A good example of a neurotransmitter that is excitatory is known as acetylcholine.
Noninvasive human brain imaging studies have shown alterations in the activity of the dopamine system that are associated with reduced motor skills and impaired verbal learning. Recent studies in chronic methamphetamine abusers have also revealed severe structural and functional changes in areas of the brain associated with emotion and memory which may account for many of the emotional and cognitive problems observed in chronic methamphetamine
Ultimately, the patient remains physically dependent on the opioid methadone, but is freed from the uncontrolled, compulsive, and disruptive behaviour seen in heroin addicts. Although does it really work as a method of getting addicts of heroin for good? Methadone has been used since the 1980’s in Scotland as a controlled and supposedly safe substitute for heroin. However is taking drugs to stop taking drugs an effective strategy? Taking statistics into consideration the answer is no.
“In a double-blind study patients preferred Marinol over smoking marijuana 2-to-1” (Dudley 32). Marinol is a THC pill that works as marijuana does but in a smoke free form. Marinol contains a purer form of THC. The study on marinol v. marijuana shows the purer more effective form of THC is preferred to smoking weed. Despite tests done on marijuana being used for medical purposes, scientists say that smoked marijuana is not necessary for medical purposes based on other forms of treatment, like marinol, out
Cigarettes are also one of the top purchased items in the world. “Worldwide, approximately 10 million cigarettes are purchased a minute, 15 billion are sold each day, and upwards of 5 trillion are produced and used on an annual basis” (Martin). Smoking is harmful to smokers and even the people and environment that surround them. The smoke from tobacco contains over 4,000 chemical, 450 of those chemicals are very harmful and even deadly to humans (“Tobacco”). Cigarette smoking should be banned because they are harmful to the smokers’ health, they’re harmful to nonsmokers’ health, as well as, being harmful to our environment; however, banning the use cigarettes could be very detrimental for our economy.
Smoking and its effect on the circulatory system While there are many different types of drugs worldwide, nicotine is by far the most widely used drug of abuse and one of the most addictive. (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2008; Psychology Today, 2010). US researchers have estimated that one in five deaths each year, more than 400,000 deaths are as a result of smoking. Illegal drug use and alcohol abuse are on the increase and so is the spread of sexually transmitted diseases like HIV The current economic situation has seen a rise in suicides and murders being committed. While these have presented large mortality rates, tobacco causes more deaths than all the above combined.