Drug Addiction and the Brain Lab
- Due May 14, 2021 at 11:59pm
- Points 85
- Questions 12
- Time Limit None
- Allowed Attempts Unlimited
Instructions
Drugs, Addiction, & The Brain
Internet Activity
Drug Abuse & Addiction
Drug addiction is a mental and/or physical dependency. The drug may be illegal, prescribed, over-the-counter, or a substance that does not have any actual medical use. While the initial decision to take a drug is voluntary, the changes that result in the brain from drug use create a compulsive chronic need for the drug. Drug abuse and addiction cost the United States more than $600 billion annually in healthcare and crime-related costs. More than $190 billion can be contributed to illicit drugs, $190 billion to tobacco use, and more than $250 billion to alcohol abuse. While the direct cost is easily measurable and substantial, the influence of drug abuse on public safety, employment, family disintegration, violence, and domestic abuse has a much greater negative impact on society.
The Impact of Drugs on the Brain
The majority of drugs have a direct or indirect effect on the neurons in the brain, specifically on neurotransmitters and receptors at the synapse. Drugs can cause disruption in the brain’s normal communication methods, primarily by stimulation or inhibition of receptors, or by mimicking a neurotransmitter. The neural pathway associated with “reward” is most commonly affected. As the brain is regularly exposed to a drug, it will react by producing less of the neurotransmitter involved by the specific drug, which can lead to tolerance. The user can eventually succumb to abuse and addiction, as he/she have to take increasingly more of the drug to feel “normal.”
Data courtesy of the NIH National Institute on Drug Abuse
Drug Schedules & Categories
Drugs can come in a wide variety of forms, and are placed in five schedules, according to regulations created by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) as part of the Controlled Substance Act. Table 1 summarizes the requirements and examples of drugs placed in each schedule according to the FDA.
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Table 1. FDA Drug Schedules |
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Schedule I |
Schedule II |
Schedule III |
Schedule IV |
Schedule V |
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High potential for abuse, no currently accepted medical use, and a lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision.
§ LSD § MDMA (Ecstasy) § Marijuana § Heroine § Methaqualone § Phencyclidine (PCP) § Hallucinogenic mushrooms |
High potential for abuse, has a currently accepted medical use, and abuse may lead to severe psychological or physical dependence.
§ Morphine § Cocaine § Opium § Methamphetamine
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Has a potential for abuse less than the drugs or other substances in schedules I and II, has a currently accepted medical use, and abuse may lead to moderate or low physical dependence or high psychological dependence.
§ Valium § Xanax § Codeine § Anabolic Steroids |
Low potential for abuse, has a currently accepted medical use, and abuse may lead to limited physical dependence or psychological dependence.
§ Phenobarbital § Meprobamate § Chloral Hydrate § Paraldehyde
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Low potential for abuse, currently accepted medical use, and abuse may lead to limited physical dependence or psychological dependence.
§ Typically preparations of schedule I-IV drugs in small concentrations § Cough Medicine w/ Codeine § Benzodiazepines |
Drugs that can be dangerous to individual or public health, have addictive properties, or that have no medical use are considered illegal. Drugs with addictive properties can lead to drug abuse, misuse, and addiction. Abuse and addiction may cause numerous health issues and may even lead to death from these health issues or overdose. Table 2 summarizes some of the most common categories of drugs that are abused.
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Table 2. Common Drugs of Abuse |
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Drug Category |
Drug Types |
Description |
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Stimulants |
Methamphetamine, Cocaine, Ritalin, Ecstasy |
Drugs that increase the activity of the central nervous system. User feels energized, but when the drug wears off he/she will often feel extreme fatigue. |
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Depressants |
GHB, Alcohol, Tranquilizers, Barbiturates, Methaqualone |
Drugs that decrease the activity of the central nervous system. User feels relaxed and drowsy. |
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Inhalants |
Gasoline, Markers, Aerosols, Paint thinner, Glue |
Chemicals that are inhaled and give the user an immediate “high.” The high is caused by oxygen deprivation that can cause permanent mental damage and even death. |
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Cannabinoids |
Marijuana, Hashish |
Produces feelings of euphoria and relaxation. User experiences memory loss, confusion, anxiety, and a reduction in reaction time. |
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Opioids & Morphine Derivatives |
Codeine, Opium, Heroin, Morphine, Fentanyl, Oxycodone, Acetominophen |
Often used in pain relief. User experiences euphoria, nausea, confusion, drowsiness, and respiratory distress. |
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Anabolic Steroids |
Anadrol, Dianabol, Stanazol, Oxandrin, Durabolin |
Substances that are often taken to increase strength or improve muscle structure. User can experience acne, premature baldness, oily skin, hostility, anxiety, and may even have a stroke or heart attack and possibly death. |
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Hallucinogens |
Mushrooms, LSD, Mescaline |
Cause hallucinations that may affect emotions, movement, and speech. Users may become hostile or suffer from heart failure. |
Genetics Science Learning Center. 2013. Drugs Alter the Brain’s Reward Pathway. Learn.Genetics. http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/addiction/drugs/index.html.
NIH. 2011. Drug Facts: Understanding Drug Abuse and Addiction. National Institute on Drug Abuse, The Science of Drug Abuse & Addiction, www.drugabuse.gov.