The Effects of Cocaine on the Brain
Cocaine has always been a prominent drug in society. It has been the cause of many deaths, dysfunctional families and heart breaking stories. The effects of the chemical in the coca leaf were first discovered throughout South America where Coca chewing was practiced because it was believed to be a gift from God in 3000 B.C. Now, Cocaine has claimed the lives of many and will always be a visible problem in our society. Cocaine produces its effects by altering the synaptic mechanisms. Since it alters these mechanisms it is known as a synaptic drug. These drugs usually block an objectionable effect or it will improve a pleasing effect. There are four ways in which these drugs can alter the synaptic mechanisms. Firstly they may modify the synthesis, axonal transport, storage, or release of a neurotransmitter. Another way that cocaine may do this is by adjusting neurotransmitter interaction with the postsynaptic receptor. Cocaine may also Influence neurotransmitter reuptake or obliteration or lastly, replace a deficient neurotransmitter with a substitute transmitter. It is been discovered the cocaine blocks the transporters for three different neurotransmitters; dopamine, serotonin,
A large reason why the American Government outlawed cocaine in 1914 is that is a very addictive drug. This a due to the permanent molecular adaptations of the neurons involved in the cocaine's effect so that they can no longer transmit normally across synapses without increasingly higher doses of the drug. Over time the postsynaptic cells that are stimulated permanently expect a high level of stimulation and then they are addicted to the drug. Then when the cocaine molecules diffuse away the sense of pleasure that cocaine gives evaporates because the normal level of dopamine no longer satisfies the overly needy demands of the postsynaptic cells for stimulation. When this happens cocaine users they become frantic and very depressed. Jenn, a cocaine user says "I love coke, need coke, want coke even after I'm depressed, broke and at one point degraded." After both studies had been conducted it was shown that the genetically altered mice had found cocaine rewarding despite lacking the dopamine transporter. The mice would either self-administer the cocaine of the chose the side of the cage where they had received the cocaine. All researchers had said that they were surprised by the results. They had expected the mice not to have been effected by the drug since they no longer possessed the dopamine transporter. The results show that the dopamine transporter is not necessary for an individual to experience the effects of cocaine. The researchers in Dr. Uhl's group also tested the serotonin transporter to see if the cocaine effect would still take place and the results were the same as in the dopamine experiment. Now the theory is that cocaine may produce its effects by blocking the dopamine transporter and the serotonin transporter at the same time. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Dr. Beatriz Rocha who was at the University of North Texas Health Science Center and Dr. Marc Caron's group at Duke University used a procedure in which the mice pressed
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Approximate Word count = 1359
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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