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#4 Neuroscience Diss
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The Neuroscience of Substance Use: Effects, Addiction, and Neural Adaptations
Throughout this unit, we will gain profound insights into the intricate interplay between drugs, neural systems, behavior, and the enduring impact of addiction on the brain. You will incorporate this knowledge to answer the below questions.
In your discussion, please complete the following:
Choose two drugs from a different drug class (Depressants, Stimulants, Psychedelic Drugs, or Marijuana) and discuss their specific effects on the nervous system.
How do these drugs alter neurotransmitter activity and neural communication?
Consider the impact of drugs that affect the reward pathway in the brain, such as opioids and stimulants.
How might these drugs lead to addictive behaviors?
Illustrate the progression from drug use to addiction in terms of neural adaptations.
What neural changes occur in the brain over time, and how do they contribute to the cycle of addiction?
Read the following chapter in your textbook: Brain & Behavior: An Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience
Bob Garrett; Gerald Hough
Chapter 5: “Drugs, Addiction, and Reward” (pp. 128-146)
Essay Sample Content Preview:
Impacts of Depressants and Stimulants on Brain Neurotransmitter Activity
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Impacts of Depressants and Stimulants on Brain Neurotransmitter Activity
Different drugs have varying effects on the brain. Their classification depends on the impact they have on the transmitter system. Two of the common groups include depressants and stimulants (Garrett & Hough, 2017). Depressants reduce the central nervous system activity, leading to a calming effect. An example of a depressant is alcohol, a prevalent and widely abused drug. On the contrary, stimulants activate the central nervous system, resulting in higher alertness, arousal, and an elevated mood. Several drugs exist in this category, one of them being cocaine.
Alcohol alters the A subtype of GABA receptor, which is part of the GABAA receptor complex, comprising five forms of receptor sites. It activates the opening of the receptor's chloride channel, leading to an influx of chloride ions that results in hyperpolarization of the neuron (Garrett & Hough, 2017). GABA is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain and reduces neuronal activity, helping to regulate anxiety, stress, and other functions. Thus, alcohol enh...
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