Chemistry Of Drug Adiction

Date: August 28, 2012
Chemistry of Drug Addiction
Introduction
The disease of addiction is one of the least understood, and frequently misunderstood, of all chronic diseases. While it would be absurd to assert that other diseases of the brain such as schizophrenia or depression are due to weak will or moral character, it is still the prevailing opinion of many, including healthcareprofessionals that drug addiction is about improper choices rather than improper brain function. Current scientific evidence has revealed that chemical addiction is a process that is caused by a malfunctioning cascade of neurotransmitters which is further exacerbated by drug use. With the advent of single positron emission computerized tomography (SPECT) scan brain images of people using drugs, we now haveobjective evidence of the effects that drugs of abuse have on the addicted brain.
Something happens after a person has been abusing drugs for a while. If he or she continues to push the boundaries of drug abuse, voluntary drug use transforms into a drug addiction. Researchers have been studying how the process works with the chemicals in the nervous system.

Physical Sensations of DrugsConnected to Neurotransmitters
People take drugs for many reasons, and one of them is for the physical sensations. Methamphetamine creates an intense high on marijuana makes a person feel mellow and carefree. These physical sensations are caused by the way to drug interacts with chemicals that carry messages within the nervous system. These chemicals are called neurotransmitters.
Each type ofneurotransmitter has its own type of receptor on the nerve endings. Drugs and alcohol interfere sometimes completely replace normal neurotransmitter functioning when a person develops an addiction. After extended use, the neurotransmitters lose their ability to function as they should. That’s when an addict reports needing the drug just to “feel normal”. This replacement also explains how a drug addict hassuch uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms. When the drugs are gone, the neurotransmitters do a poor job stepping back into their role.
Voluntary Drug Use Turns To Compulsion
A recent study has examined how neurotransmitters are involved when voluntary drug use becomes an addiction. The study revealed that the neurotransmitter dopamine has a large role in this transition. At some point, voluntarychoice turns into compulsive behavior.
When push comes to shove, a person abusing drugs or alcohol can usually make some lifestyle changes and stop using drugs with minor difficulty. The compulsion that comes with addiction makes it so difficult to voluntarily give up the drug. The compulsion continues to pull the addict into the cycle of drug seeking and drug use.
This type of research couldprove to be useful if it can help prevent drug abusers from becoming drug addicts. Understanding the chemistry of drug addiction could really impact the way we treat addiction in the future. Drug rehab centers and drug treatment programs are always looking to current research for new insight on treating addiction.
Drug Rehab Makes Sobriety a Reality
Once a person crosses the line over to drugaddiction, it becomes a much more complicated matter. The chemistry of addiction can make sobriety an uphill battle.
MRC scientists have discovered why some people are more likely to develop a drug addiction than others. Their research suggests that changes in brain chemistry influence an individual’s chances of becoming addicted even before they have used drugs. This discovery may lead to bettertreatments for compulsive behavior disorders like addiction with fewer side effects than current therapies.
Dr Jeff Dalley and colleagues at Cambridge University’s Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute looked at rats’ brains. They were interested in changes in a receptor for a signaling molecule called dopamine that has effects on emotion, perception and movement.
They discovered the...