As a result, dopamine binds again and again to the receptors overstimulation the cell. Like other drugs, cocaine concentrates in the reward pathway. However, it is also the reward pathway. However, it is also active in the part of the brain controlling voluntary movements. This is why cocaine abusers are fidgety and unable to be
Extreme use of alcohol and other drugs can damage the brain and can sometimes cause hallucinations or other symptoms of a mental disorder but is only usually caused by excessive use of alcohol and drugs. Another cause for a mental disorder is infection. Infection can lead to the rise of mental illnesses and schizophrenia has been linked to flu. Another physical cause of a mental disorder is the biochemistry including neurotransmitters and hormones. Neurotransmitters are known to have an impact on behaviour such as high levels of nor adrenaline and dopamine are seen when a depressed mood is evident e.g.
Alcohol is very high in calories and if you do not do regular exercise you can gain weight very quickly. This can then strain your body especially the cardiovascular and respiratory system. Alcohol interferes with the brains communication pathways, also affecting the way the brain looks and works. This can disrupt
Methamphetamine increases the release and blocks the reuptake of the brain chemical (or neurotransmitter) dopamine, leading to high levels of the chemical in the brain, a common mechanism of action for most drugs of abuse. Dopamine is involved in reward, motivation, the experience of pleasure, and motor function in the human body. Methamphetamine’s ability to release dopamine rapidly in reward regions of the brain produces the intense euphoria, or “rush,” that many users feel after snorting, smoking, or injecting the drug. Chronic methamphetamine abuse significantly changes how the brain functions. 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.
Prescription drugs can cause sedation, altered state of consciousness, depressed respiration and changes in blood pressure. 1.1 Physical indications of substance misuse include: * Reduced or enlarged pupils * Sudden changes in eating or sleeping habits * Marked changes in physical appearance * Frequent nosebleeds * Seizures * Shakes or tremors * Slurred speech and lack of co-ordination Behavioural indications include: * Neglect of personal / professional responsibility * Difficulties in person / professional relationships * Financial difficulties * Becoming secretive or acting suspiciously Psychological indications
Add to this the fact that adolescent brains are still maturing, and the study of alcohol’s effects becomes even more complex. Acting as a sedative on the central nervous system, alcohol depresses the nerve cells in the brain dulling, altering, and damaging their ability to respond appropriately. Consumed in large doses can cause sleep, respiratory failure, even coma and death. The effects don’t take long to take effect on the body, in about thirty minutes or so, the drinker will experience mild euphoria and a loss of inhibition as alcohol impairs region of the brain controlling behavior and emotions. Impairing behavior, judgment, memory, concentration, and coordination.
Explain how Alcohol affects a person’s nervous system and the effects it has on a person’s normal waking consciousness. The central nervous system is a complex system consisting of the brain and spinal cord. The brain is responsible for all our actions and the spinal cord transmits incoming information to the brain. The CNS takes in information through the senses, controlling motor function, as well as thinking, understanding, and reasoning. It also controls emotion; being intoxicated threatens the normal function of this.
Networks of neurons pass messages back and forth to different structures within the brain, the spinal column, and peripheral nervous system. Drugs are chemicals that work in the brain by tapping into the communications system and interfering with the way nerve cells normally send, receive, and process information. Nearly all addictive drugs stimulate the brains reward circuitry, producing felling of pleasure (Kalat, 2009). Some drugs, such as marijuana and heroin can activate neurons because their chemical structure mimics that of a natural neurotransmitter. This similarity in structure “fools” receptors and allows the drugs to lock onto and activate the nerve cells.
Brain Part | Alcohol’s Effects on Brain Parts | Cerebral Cortex | When alcohol reaches this part of the brain, a person can lose judgment and lower his or her inhibitions. Alcohol here also affects how the brain gets information from the senses, which might cause blurry vision and difficulty in smelling, tasting, and hearing. | Hypothalamus | This lobe of the cerebral cortex helps a person with planning, making decisions, and using self-control. Alcohol can harm a person’s ability to plan, make decisions, and use self-control. If alcohol is used over a long period of time, this part of the brain can be damaged permanently.
The large release of dopamine contributes to the effects on the nerve terminals in the brain and high doses of Meth are extremely dangerous to the body. It can elevate the temperature of the body which can be lethal. Some long term effects of Meth can be extremely damaging to the body. Not only is it addictive, but it also is a chronic relapsing disease. It causes violent behavior, anxiety, confusion, and insomnia.