Drugs & The Nervous System

 The use of drugs may mimic or block normal nervous system activity leading to changes in
perception, muscular coordination and emotions

Approaches to studying the action of drugs:

1. Administer drug, correlate the physiological and behavioural changes with known brain functions
2. Administer radioactive drugs, check area of concentration within the brain

Pain & Painkillers

 Pain is how the brain interprets sensory input it receives from specialized cells called the Substantia
Gelatinosa (SG). The SG is located in the grey matter in the spinal cord forming a band in the dorsal
horn.
 Pain is perceived when SG cells are stimulated by a sensory nerve of the PNS
 The SG produces a neurotransmitter that communicates with the injured part of body and sends a
message to the brain which is felt as pain
 The brain then sends a message to release ‘natural painkillers’ – substances know as endorphins and
enkephalins
 Neurotransmitters are produced during times of pain, excitement, exercise and sexual intercourse;
they attach to SG receptor sites and prevent communication with the affected part of body reducing
pain; if the situation is exciting then a feeling of euphoria is experienced

Stimulants

 Disrupt or modify normal communication among brain neurons and brain circuits
 Stimulates sympathetic nervous system via hypothalamus
 Promotes accelerated heart rate, pupil dilation, increase in blood sugar
 Increase thirst, decreased hunger and sleepiness
 Examples:
 Caffeine – mild; causes the sympathetic nervous system to increase heart rate and BP
 Nicotine – less mild
 Amphetamines (speed) – powerful; block the reuptake of neurotransmitters like dopamine
from the synaptic cleft; effects such as an Increase in mental alertness and an ability to stay
awake and focused are long lasting
 Cocaine – disrupt dopamine neurotransmitter system by over stimulating dopamine receptors
on postsynaptic cell by increasing the amount of dopamine in the synaptic cleft either through
excessive release or through preventing their reuptake; effects of mood elevation and increased
motor activity are short lived

Depressants

 Affect the neurotransmitter gammaaminobutyric acid (GABA); increasing levels of GABA inhibits brain
activity
 Five Categories; reduce nervous system activity
1. Ethyl Alcohol – reduce neuron function; inhibition reduces from top to bottom
2. Barbiturates – mimic alcohol effects on reticular formation and medulla oblongata – promotes
sleep; alcohol and barbiturates are synergistic (addictive)
3. Tranquilizers – like barbiturates: reduce anxiety, tension; do not induce sleep, eg valium;
used to treat stress disorders
4. Opioids – (opium, morphine, codeine, and heroin) depress nerve transmission in sensory
pathways of spinal cord and brain that signal pain; deep cerebral cortex – emotions, euphoria;
used in pain killers (morphine) and cough medicine (codeine); the intake causes the production
of the body’s natural painkillers to decrease
5. Anesthetics – ether; chloroform; benzene; toluene; depress the CNS – dangerous to use
outside of hospitals
Hallucinogens

 Structurally similar to natural neurotransmitters such as acetylcholine and serotonin

 Research suggests that they work by blocking neurotransmitters’ function or binding to their receptors
 Cause hallucinations – profound distortions in a person’s perceptions of reality; people see images,
hear sounds, fell things that seem real but are not, some hallucinations may also cause intense mood
swings
 Hallucinations intensify whatever mood the user is in when the drug is taken. If the user is depressed,
the drug will deepen the depression. If the user is feeling pleasant, the drug usually will heighten that
feeling.
 Examples:
 LSD – can cause sensations that are pleasurable and mentally stimulating or terrifying
thoughts and nightmares. in large doses can cause delusions and visual hallucinations. There is
some evidence that prolonged use of LSD may produce organic brain damage leading to
impaired memory, reduced attention span, mental confusion, and impaired ability to deal with
abstract concepts
 Marijuana – Marijuana affects brain like alcohol (depressant) or high doses like hallucinogens

Affect of Nerve Gases / Poisons

 (such as carare- a poison from the skin of certain South American frogs) compete with acetycholine for
recepor-bindng sites. By preventing the neurotransmitter from binding to the receptor, it prevents
muscular contraction, causing paralysis. Some nerve gases inhibit cholinesterase (therefore no
breakdown of acetycholine) causing continuous muscular contractions (person cannot stop shaking)