Effects of Drugs on the Brain (Discussion Post)

Drugs alter the normal functioning of the brain by changing the way the different neurons interact. The cells generally pass information through the release of neurotransmitters across the gap of a neuron (synapse). These neurotransmitters attach themselves to the receptors on the receiving neuron in a way akin to an essential fitting into a lock to cause changes to that neuron. However, drugs cause the disturbance of this precise mechanism in several manners. Marijuana and heroin, for example, are molecules that can mirror the shape of the natural chemical neurotransmitters, meaning that they can snap into place on the receptors and light up neurons in ways that are not entirely correct (Volkow, 2023). Other drugs like amphetamine and cocaine lead to overstimulation of neurons, as they force neurons to release natural neurotransmitters or prevent them from being recycled, thus overwhelming the synaptic space. In any case, drugs interrupt the perfectly harmonized signal transmission predominantly in the brain as well as inverting the commonly experienced high and low tones of brain signals into insane proportions and consequently interfere with normal functions of the brain.

Continual drug use is capable of provoking devastating changes in the structure and functioning of the brain's most significant regions. Another complex is that the basal ganglia, which are involved in positive forms of motivation and reaching pleasure, hyperactivate in drugs. First, this saturates the brain's reward system with dopamine, delivering a much-cherished substance (Volkow, 2023). However, they claim that after long-term drug trials, the circuit adjusts itself by having comparatively little sensitivity to dopamine and relatively few dopamine receptors. Thus, nothing is capable of providing pleasure but the drug. The areas of the brain that are involved in processing stressed feelings, such as anxiety and irritability, known as the extended amygdala, become overreactive, thus enhancing the negative feelings of withdrawal, which is the driving force behind drug use compellingly (Armstrong, 2022). On the other hand, areas in the brain, such as the prefrontal cortex, that affect judgment, decision-making, and self-control over behaviors get affected, leading to the decimation of one's capability to resist urges. It can also be explained why addiction as a disease involves compulsive behaviors even when these have adverse effects.

Drug use also operates directly on the nucleus accumbent, an area of the brain which also in charge of releasing dopamine to help in the formation of habits from essential activities, which include eating and social engagements. However, drugs get in the way of this process and exponentially increase dopamine levels much more than standard rewards. This mainly strengthens both attentive and non-attentive contexts of the drug use experience, including stimuli that are paired with drug-seeking (Armstrong, 2022). Hence, coming across such people, places and things associated with past drug use may make a drug user desire and look for the substance despite having been addicted for several years and successfully refusing to use the substance. It is this sustained neurological rewiring that is created by drugs that can explain the solid urges and the stubborn behaviors inherent in addictions as a chronic brain condition, especially one that involves tendencies to relapse (Armstrong, 2022). On the same note, tolerance leads to the shrinking of the feel-good receptors in the brain, thus reducing one’s ability to find joy in healthy activities. The constant desire is compounded by the inability to derive pleasure from a ‘normal’ life, creating a cycle of indulgence that is slightly difficult to break but not impossible.