5.14 Abuse Of Drugs

General Effects of Drugs

  • Overview of drugs categorized into classes.

  • Focus on stimulants in the current discussion.

Stimulants

  • Definition: Stimulants are drugs that accelerate the activity of the nervous system.

  • Common Effects:

    • Increase in wakefulness.

    • Enhancements in alertness.

    • Associated high with euphoria (elevated mood, increased energy, lowered inhibitions).

    • Individuals tend to take more risks and are more social when under the influence.

Neurotransmitters Affected by Stimulants

  • Dopamine:

    • Essential for the experience of reward.

    • Contributes to feelings of euphoria and lowered inhibitions.

  • Serotonin:

    • Linked to mood regulation and euphoria.

  • Norepinephrine:

    • Important for arousal levels.

    • Mainly contributes to increased energy.

Risks of Stimulants

  • Danger Factors:

    • Quick development of tolerance requiring higher doses for the same effect.

    • High likelihood of dependence leading to severe withdrawal symptoms.

    • Psychological dependence can develop rapidly.

  • Examples of Commonly Abused Stimulants:

    • Cocaine

    • Amphetamine

    • Ecstasy

Historical Context of Stimulants

  • Cocaine Usage:

    • Historically viewed as a cure-all remedy.

    • Sold over-the-counter in various forms such as:

    • Halls (cough drops)

    • Coca wine

    • Original Coca-Cola recipe contained about 9 mg of cocaine.

  • Current Coca-Cola has replaced cocaine with caffeine and sugar.

Mechanisms of Action

  • Cocaine's Mechanism:

    • Blocks dopamine reuptake.

    • Prevents the reabsorption of dopamine into presynaptic neurons.

    • Leads to increased dopamine levels in the synapse, continuing to bind to receptors and generate action potentials.

Methamphetamine (Crystal Meth)

  • Dangerous Drug Characteristics:

    • Very high addiction rates and easy dependence.

    • Causes significant physical and cognitive deterioration over time.

Physical Deterioration

  • Users often neglect personal hygiene when high, leading to noticeable changes in appearance (rapid aging effect).

  • Toxic Ingredients:

    • Often consists of harmful materials such as:

    • Hydrochloric acid

    • Farm fertilizer

    • These toxic substances result in cell destruction upon ingestion.

Cognitive Deterioration

  • Impact on Cognitive Functions:

    • Prolonged use leads to structural abnormalities in the frontal lobes (key areas for executive functions).

    • Executive Functions include:

    • Reasoning

    • Planning ahead

    • Inhibiting unwanted impulses and emotions.

Stroop Test Demonstration

  • Purpose: To assess cognitive control and inhibition skills impaired by meth use.

  • Procedure:

    • Participant shown colored words and must say the color, not read the word.

    • Example: “Red” written in blue must be identified as “blue.”

  • Outcome for Meth Users:

    • Increased response time and high error rates in completing the task.

    • Difficulty in inhibiting the automatic tendency to read the words instead of identifying the color.

Conclusion

  • Abuse of stimulants, particularly methamphetamine, has profound effects on both physical appearance and cognitive function. Anticipating the effects of stimulants and understanding their implications is crucial for health and safety considerations in drug use.