How Does Cocaine Affect The Brain

Words: 1338
Pages: 6
Open Document
LITERATURE REVIEW

Scientists can actually see the dynamic changes that occur in the brain as an individual takes cocaine. There are different brain changes that occur as a person experiences the “rush”, the “high”, and finally the craving of cocaine. Scientists can also identify the parts of the brain that become active when a cocaine addict sees or hears environmental stimuli that trigger the craving for cocaine.
Brain structure can physically change and affect behavior through certain kinds of experiences, such as those involved in learning. Exposure to stimulant drugs such as cocaine can impair the ability of specific brain cells to change as a consequence of experience.
According to Dr. Nora D. Volkow the NIDA Director, the ability …show more content…
Keep in mind that you may not experience all of these effects and that not all of them are well-documented in the scientific community.
• Accelerated brain aging
Cocaine may cause the brain to age at a quicker rate than average. This is in part due to significant losses in the amount of grey matter in important areas of the brain, but also due to functional deficits in various brain regions. Cocaine usage over the long-term can yield significant detrimental effects on the brain, increasing speed of neurodegeneration.
• Dependence
Many people become dependent on cocaine in order to function throughout the day. Once the brain has become tolerant to the drug, a person will continuously need more of it in order to maintain their same level of functioning. Over time, a person may become dependent on higher doses of the drug, leading to greater psychological damage.
• Cognitive deficits
Many people experience long-term cognitive impairment resulting from cocaine. This is due to the fact that dopamine levels drop and activity in the prefrontal cortex decreases. Peak cognition is heavily reliant on the prefrontal cortex for processing complex data, attention, and logic.
• …show more content…
People who use cocaine can endure lasting changes to the levels of dopamine within the brain. Increased usage can leads to dopamine deficiency. Dopamine deficiency can create problems such as attentional deficits, mood swings, impulsivity, brain fog, and cognitive impairment.
• Aggression
Some cocaine user become increasingly aggressive over a long-term. This is due to the fact that the brain is not able to handle much stress and becomes sensitized. Cocaine users may find their selves lashing out at others in order to cope with the pent-up aggression that they feel.
• Stress response
Stress significantly decreases the more frequently they use cocaine. The brain becomes unable to properly process stress and with frequent cocaine usage. Cocaine users may react with more animalistic instincts instead of using higher-order brain functions to combat any stress. Things that previously would not have caused stress may start to drive cocaine users crazy over the long-term.
• Emotional
Show More

Related Documents: How Does Cocaine Affect The Brain

Cocaine- Cocaine Essay

Cocaine- Cocaine is a powerfully addictive stimulant drug made from the leaves of the coca plant native to South America. It produces short-term euphoria, energy, and talkativeness in addition to potentially dangerous physical effects like raising heart rate and blood pressure. How Is Cocaine Used? The powdered form of cocaine is either inhaled through the nose (snorted), where it is absorbed through the nasal tissue, or dissolved in water and injected into the bloodstream. Crack is a form…

Words 692 - Pages 3

Addiction Term Paper Final

Running head: DOES A TWO-DRUG COMBINATION HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO FIGHT COCAINE ADDICTION? Does a two-drug combination have the potential to fight cocaine addiction? Carlo Olkeriil Portland State University Carlo Olkeriil, Graduated School of Education Department, Portland State University This Research Paper was written in part of the Grading and Course Requirements of the COUN 507: Addiction Pharmacology taught by Terry Alan Forrest, LPC, LMFT Email: colker72@gmail.com DOES A TWO-DRUG…

Words 1285 - Pages 6

Essay on The Effects of Cocaine

The Effects of Cocaine The effects of cocaine abuse whether they are social, psychological or physical are not only devastating to the abuser but the effects will crush a family and tear it apart. Cocaine is a highly addictive stimulant that was once used for medicinal purposes but is now being abused with devastating consequences on its user. Cocaine was originally found in the Andes Mountains of Peru and Bolivia, cocaine is a natural alkaloid which is extracted from the leaves of the coca shrub…

Words 1243 - Pages 5

Essay on Composition's

alcohol, drugs, and some activities that keep us out of all our responsibility. In this composition I will write about “Today’s Lotus Flowers”, and how that makes people forget everything, or make them joyful. The “Lotus Flowers” of today make people forget everything about the responsibility and their life. “Lotus Flowers” can be; Marijuana, Cocaine, Alcohol, and Tobacco, etc. And there are some activities that also make us forget everything about our responsibility. The activities are watching…

Words 807 - Pages 4

Essay on Meth: Nervous System and fairly Newer Drug

glass. Unlike alcohol, tobacco products, marijuana, cocaine and heroin, which are made from growing plants, methamphetamine is made synthetically from household products and chemicals. Nevertheless, its causes and effects are far from artificial. In the proceeding information, the following questions will be answered: How does meth cause its “high” and what are some of the reasons is it so appealing to its users? What damaging effects does it have on a person’s mind and body? What are some…

Words 346 - Pages 2

Babies Born Addicted to Drugs and the Side Effects Essay

drugs, and how could a mother do that to their unborn child. Drug addiction is a very serious issue that needs more research. We are still learning the effects of substance abuse. One problem that needs to be looked at is are there enough Rehabilitation Centers, to help the women who are addicted to these different street drugs. Also doctor and nurses should not judge these women but instead give them the best prenatal care that can be provided. We need to see what harm and side affects it has on…

Words 2031 - Pages 9

The Importance of Redefining Addiction Essay

substances and what quantities were used. It is about what happens in a person’s brain when they are exposed to rewarding substances or rewarding behaviors, and it is more about the reward circuitry in the brain and related brain structures (Smith, 2012). The previous research under the old definition has resulted in knowledge about how psychoactive drugs affect the reward circuitry in related structures of the brain. This will be covered in more detail in a separate section. From this extensive…

Words 2066 - Pages 9

ASD 275 Video Analysis

and include how the information I obtained will help me when working with clients. The first video I viewed was “Sedatives.” Sedatives affect the central nervous system and in turn they relieve anxiety lower the heart rate, and can also depress breathing. The video describes how these chemicals affect our neurotransmitters in our central nervous system. These transmitters include dopamine, GABA, epinephrine, and norepinephrine. Sedatives…

Words 1485 - Pages 6

Human Anatomy Essay

characteristics: 1. Cerebral cortex is required for their performance, and they involve complex interactions among areas of the cortex and between the cerebral cortex and other areas of the brain. 2. Involve both conscious and unconscious information processing. 3. Not part of the programmed “wiring” of the brain subject to modification and adjustment over time. Memory and learning are two examples of higher-order functions. 4. Distinguish between two levels of sleep. 1. Deep sleep…

Words 1021 - Pages 5

02 The Biology Of The Mind 3 Essay

|||||\__________ dendrites ->->neural impulses->-> - How do neurons communicate? - Each neuron contains: - a cell body - two types of branching fibers - dendrites: receive messages from other cells and pass it to the cell body - short bushes of fiber - axon: passes neural message (information) from the cell body and passes it to the other neurons, muscles or glands - can be short or long (e.g. short in brain, long in leg) - extensions of the neuron - usually…

Words 3059 - Pages 13