Notes

*********How do drugs work in the brain?************

Drugs are chemicals that affect the brain by tapping into its communication system and interfering with the way neurons normally send, receive, and process information. 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 attach onto and activate the neurons. Although these drugs mimic the brain’s own chemicals, they don’t activate neurons in the same way as a natural neurotransmitter, and they lead to abnormal messages being transmitted through the network.

Other drugs, such as amphetamine or cocaine, can cause the neurons to release abnormally large amounts of natural neurotransmitters or prevent the normal recycling of these brain chemicals. This disruption produces a greatly amplified message, ultimately disrupting communication channels.

What other brain changes occur with abuse?

Chronic exposure to drugs of abuse disrupts the way critical brain structures interact to control and inhibit behaviors related to drug use. Just as continued abuse may lead to tolerance or the need for higher drug dosages to produce an effect, it may also lead to addiction, which can drive a user to seek out and take drugs compulsively. Drug addiction erodes a person’s self-control and ability to make sound decisions, while producing intense impulses to take drugs.

https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugs-brains-behavior-science-addiction/drugs-brain




**************Ways of Taking Drugs***************

Smoking Drugs
As one of the most common routes of drug administration, smoking encapsulates tobacco, marijuana, opium, heroin, cocaine and various other substances. Whenever someone draws in on a cigarette, the smoke goes to the lungs and is then rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream. This makes it one of the fastest ways for someone to experience a high as the chemicals are transferred to the necessary bodily receptors in seconds.

Snorting Drugs
The snorting of drugs (also called insufflation) is conducted mostly by users of tobacco, cocaine, heroin, ecstasy and amphetamines. Around 30 to 60% of the snorted chemicals will enter the bloodstream through the mucus membrane in the nose. The rest is then swallowed and moves down to the stomach where it finally reaches the blood. In general, the high is experienced within about 15 minutes from the time of snorting.

Taking Drugs Orally
One of the simplest ways of taking drugs is through the mouth and allows the drugs to move onto the stomach where they are absorbed by the stomach lining and then enter the bloodstream. The most common drugs to be taken in this way are alcohol, marijuana, opium, amphetamines, ecstasy, LSD and magic mushrooms. Swallowing is one of the safest ways to take drugs for several reasons. Firstly, the substance will be slowly absorbed through the stomach lining resulting in effects which are less extreme and therefore less dangerous. Secondly, an individual’s digestive system is designed to induce vomiting if that person ingests anything risky. There have, however, been cases of people dying from swallowing cocaine, showing that there are still some dangers present with this particular route of administration.

Using Suppositories
One of the riskier methods of drug intake is the use of suppositories where the substance is absorbed through the mucus membrane in the rectum. This is not a typical method of drug administration, although water-soluble drugs such as speed, ecstasy and cocaine have been known to be taken in this way.

Injections and Drugs
This route of administration is a recent development in the drug scene and involves a syringe full of an illicit substance being injected directly into the blood stream. This can be done in three different ways:

* Subcutaneous Injections: Directly into the soft tissue just beneath the skin.
* Intravenous Injections: Directly into a vein found under the surface of the skin.
* Intramuscular Injections: Directly into a muscle found deeper in the body.

This is one of the more popular methods of drug use as the full effects are felt almost immediately, typically within 3 to 5 seconds. It also bypasses many of the body’s defenses and delivers more of the drug to the brain. This is why injecting illicit substances is one of the more dangerous routes of administration as substances which would have normally been rejected by the stomach or blocked by the skin can enter into the bloodstream without any trouble. This can then lead to the following dangers:

* Increased chance of infection due to contaminated needles or drugs. Those who share syringes also run the risk of spreading blood-borne diseases, such as HIV and hepatitis.
* Scarring of the veins. This is caused by blunt syringes and can lead to the vein collapsing.
* Arterial damage at the injection site, which can lead to hemorrhaging, distal ischemia, gangrene, endarteritis and thrombosis.

There is also an increased chance of addiction for those who take drugs via injections. This is because the heightened feelings that they experience may lead them to come back and repeat the action simply to relive the previous emotions.

http://alcoholrehab.com/drug-addiction/routes-of-drug-administration/



***********Which Neurotransmitter or Neurotransmitters Does the Drug Affect?**************

A person’s experiences when using a drug reflect the functional roles of the particular neurotransmitter(s) it disrupts. Each individual neuron manufactures one or more neurotransmitters: dopamine, glutamate, serotonin, acetylcholine, and/or any of dozens of others that scientists have identified to date. Each neurotransmitter is associated with particular effects depending on its distribution among the brain’s various functional areas (see Table 1). Dopamine, for example, is highly concentrated in regions that regulate motivation and feelings of reward, and is a strong motivator for drug use. A neurotransmitter’s impact also depends on whether it stimulates or dampens activity of its target neurons.

Some drugs primarily affect one neurotransmitter or class of neurotransmitters. For example, prescription opioids and heroin produce effects that are similar to (but more pronounced than) those produced by the neurotransmitters endorphin and enkephalin: increased analgesia, decreased alertness, and slowed respiration. Other drugs disrupt more than one type of neurotransmitter. Cocaine, for example, attaches to structures that regulate dopamine, leading to increases in dopamine activity and producing euphoria; it also produces changes in norepinephrine and glutamate systems that cause stimulant effects.

Because a neurotransmitter can stimulate or inhibit neurons that produce different neurotransmitters, a drug that disrupts one neurotransmitter can have secondary impacts on others. For example, nicotine stimulates cells directly by activating their receptors for acetylcholine, and indirectly by inducing higher levels of glutamate, a neurotransmitter that acts as an accelerator for neuron activity throughout the brain. A key effect that all drugs that cause dependence and addiction appear to have in common—a dramatic increase in dopamine signaling in a brain area called the nucleus accumbens (NAc), leading to euphoria and a desire to repeat the experience—is in many cases an indirect one.



********Tolerance, Dependence and Addiction********

https://drugabuse.com/library/tolerance-dependence-addiction/



*********What are treatments for drug addiction?*********

There are many options that have been successful in treating drug addiction, including:

behavioral counseling
medication
medical devices and applications used to treat withdrawal symptoms or deliver skills training
evaluation and treatment for co-occurring mental health issues such as depression and anxiety
long-term follow-up to prevent relapse
A range of care with a tailored treatment program and follow-up options can be crucial to success. Treatment should include both medical and mental health services as needed. Follow-up care may include community- or family-based recovery support systems.

More info ---> https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/treatment-approaches-drug-addiction