Drugs and the affect on the brain
Alcohol causes an increase in dopamine and a burst of serotonin.
The abrupt burst causes a "buzz" but fades, and
the levels get lower then they were before. This is the cause
for alcoholics because they keep drinking in hopes for the
same boost of serotonin as from their first drink. Usually
people with low levels of serotonin drink daily to boost them
and become alcoholics.
Caffeine lowers serotonin and increases dopamine. Caffeine
also causes no appetite reducing the amount of carbohydrate
intake, causing even lower levels of serotonin.
Marijuana, also like alcohol, gives a burst of serotonin
to the brain. It is also followed by a serotonin shortage.
For this reason people who do intake marijuana become clinically
depressed and usually keep taking the drug to experience the
"high" again, but it makes them even more depressed
then before.
Cocaine gives a burst of serotonin and dopamine. It also
blocks the process that cleans out unwanted dopamine neurotransmitters
from your brain (called reuptake). This causes cocaine to
be highly addictive since dopamine is a key part in that process.
Ecstasy is the drug that releases the most serotonin. IT
actually enters the serotonin containing neurons from the
uptake process and causes those neurons to release all the
serotonin at once. After this all the brains serotonin is
gone causing deep depression.
Medication and it's affect on the brain
When neurotransmitters are not balanced then medication can
get levels even again.
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI) such as Prozac
blocks the reuptake of serotonin, allowing serotonin to flow
freely within the brain. The serotonin activates other serotonin
neurons. These medications are usually used to treat depression,
which is caused by low levels of serotonin and clogged serotonin
receptors. However it decreases dopamine levels causing lowered
sex drives and problems with memory.
Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAO inhibitors) decrease the
bodies MAO, which beaks down serotonin and Norepinephrine
and dopamine. By decreasing MAO serotonin and Norepinephrine,
which activate serotonin and Norepinephrine sensitive dendrites
for a longer period of time; causing more brain activity in
those brain neurons. Also the increase of dopamine that comes
with MAO inhibitors prolongs serotonin and Norepinephrine
lifetimes.
HTP is the immediate chemical precursor to serotonin. And
when added to ones system cross the blood/brain barrier and
increase the neurons store of serotonin, causing positive
moods. It's an herbal remedy that comes from the African Griffonia
Simplicifolia plant.
