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Drugs and the Brain

Brief Description
The human brain is the most complex organ in the
body—you need it to drive a car, to enjoy a meal, to
breathe, to create an artistic masterpiece, and to
enjoy everyday activities. In brief, the brain
regulates your body’s basic functions; enables you
to interpret and respond to everything you
High-resolution, non-invasive imaging
experience; and shapes your thoughts, emotions,
techniques produce detailed diagrams
and behavior. Drugs, however, can alter important
of neural tracts, enabling new analyses
brain areas that are necessary for life-sustaining
of how brain regions are connected.
functions and can drive the compulsive drug abuse
Credit: Washington University -
that marks addiction. As a result, NIDA supports a
University of Minnesota Human
large body of neuroscience research that can provide
Connectome Project
clues how better to manage and prevent substance
consortium (http://humanconnectome.
use disorders.
org/).
See more Brain Images on the NIDA
Research web site

Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Brain and

Cognitive Development (ABCD)

NIH Brain Initiative

Effects of Specific Drugs on the Brain

Marijuana

Heroin

Bath Salts

K2/Spice

MDMA (Ecstasy/Molly)

Methamphetamine

Hallucinogens
Related Videos

Drugs & the Brain Wallet Card

Drugs & the The Human The Reward The Reward

Brain Wallet Brain: Major Circuit: How Circuit: How
Card 0:36 Structures the Brain the Brain
and Responds to Responds to
Functions Methamphet Cocaine
5:05 amine 2:40 2:33

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Related Publications
Drugs, Brains, and Behavior: The Science of Addiction
Provides scientific information about the disease of drug addiction, including the many
harmful consequences of drug abuse and the basic approaches that have been
developed to prevent and treat the disease. (July 2014) En Español

Brain Power: Grades 4-5

Offers an interactive science education program for students in grades 4–5 to explore
the human brain and the effects of drugs on the brain. Includes six modules, parent
newsletters, posters, and videos. (September 2012)

Brain Power: Grades 2-3

Provides a science program for students in grades 2–3 to educate them about their
brains, why they should protect them, and how drugs such as nicotine and medications
can be harmful. Includes six modules, parent newsletters, and videos. (September
2012)

Brain Power: Grades K-1

 Offers an interactive science education program for students in grades K–1 about
scientists, the brain, and the effects of drugs on the human body. Includes five
learning modules, student resources, parent newsletters, and videos. (September
2009)

Brain Power: Grades 6-9

Offers an interactive science education program for students in grades 6–9 about the
brain and the effects of drugs on the body. Includes six modules, resources for
students, parent guides, and online activities. ()

Related NIDA Notes Articles

A Family-Oriented Intervention May Reduce the Effects of Poverty on Brain Development
(January 2018)

Deep Brain Stimulation Attenuates Rats’ Responses to Heroin (October 2017)

Narrative of Discovery: Can Magnets Treat Cocaine Addiction? (September 2015)

View more related NIDA Notes

Related News Releases

NIH releases first dataset from unprecedented study of adolescent brain development
(February 2018)

NIDA-NIAAA Mini-Convention: Frontiers in Addiction Research: The Science of Astrocytes,

Stress Response, and Translational Research (November 2017)

Epigenetics takes center stage with this year’s Addiction Science Awards (May 2017)

View more related News Releases

Related Resources
Commonly Abused Drugs Charts

Neuroscience Consortium

Other Resources
MEDLINEplus Health Information on Drug Abuse - National
Library of Medicine, NIH
 www.abovetheinfluence.com - Office of National Drug Control Policy

healthfinder.gov - U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Past information on many drugs of abuse is available on our Archives site.

Clinical Trials
Clinical trials are research studies in human volunteers conducted to answer specific health
questions. Learn about the NIH-sponsored clinical trials available to you.

NIDA Clinical Trial Locator - answer a few simple questions and get contact information for
Clinical Trials near you.

Other Clinical Trials information sources:

NIH Clinical Trials and You - NIH site that helps explain about clinical trials and why people
participate.

NIDA Trials at ClinicalTrials.gov - a resource of federally and privately supported clinical trials.

Clinical Research Studies from the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network
(CTN) - a NIDA coordinated network of research institutions conducting human trials on drug
abuse solutions.

Research Studies at NIDA Intramural Research Program - located in Baltimore, Maryland.

This page was last updated February 2018

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