Hokanson 1

Shane Hokanson

Psychology 1010

Professor Campbell

7 February 2017

How Drugs Mimic Neurotransmitters

I chose to do this topic because it really interests me and because there are so many

wonderful and beneficial things that can come from the proper use of of drugs for people with

sleeping disorders, mental health problems, and even diseases. I also think it is amazing to see

the effects of drugs on peoples moods and behaviors. Drugs can really change people for the

better or make them worse. Like the simple process of using pain pills accordingly to keep the

pain of a surgery at bay can be considered a miracle, but some people get addicted to them and

abuse their pain pills. Those same pain pills that are supposed to help you are now causing more

health problems and severely altering the way you think and act. Essentially, those pills are now

controlling your life and all your actions.

The defining features of drug intoxication and addiction can be traced to disruptions in

cell-to-cell signaling. This means that the improper use, or abuse, of drugs can impact your body

all the way down to the way your cells function. Drugs of abuse alter the way people think, feel,

and behave by disrupting neurotransmission, the process of communication between brain cells.

Over the past few decades, studies have established that drug dependence and addiction are

features of an organic brain disease caused by drugs' cumulative impacts on neurotransmission.

Scientists continue to build on this essential understanding with experiments to further elucidate

the physiological bases for drug abuse vulnerability as well as the full dimensions and

progression of the disease. The findings provide powerful leads to new medications and
 Hokanson 2

behavioral treatments. (Sherman, Carl. "Impacts of Drugs on Neurotransmission."). Even when

people think that they are just having fun or that they dont have a problem these drugs are

altering them at a cellular level which could lead to long term consequences that can impact their

health.

There are a lot of ways for drugs to impact your brain and they can effect them in

different ways. Drugs are chemicals that affect the brain by tapping into its communication

system and interfering with the way neurons normally send, receive, and process information.

Some drugs, such as marijuana and heroin, can activate neurons because their chemical structure

mimics that of a natural neurotransmitter. Substantially there are two main ways that drugs can

affect your brain; The first would be a Agonist, which is a chemical that binds to a receptor and

activates the receptor to produce a biological response. The second would be called a Antagonist,

which is a type of receptor ligand or drug that blocks or dampens agonist-mediated responses. L-

dopa is a drug that is used to help treat patients with Parkinson's disease. Parkinsons disease is a

neurological disorder that affects movement, muscle control, and balance. Parkinsons disease

most commonly affects people ages 55 - 75. The disease is usually progressive, with symptoms

becoming more severe over time. L-dopa is a direct precursor to dopamine, and its

supplementation can increase dopamine levels in the body, making L-dopa an agonist for

dopamine. The use of L-dopa has been reasonably successful in the alleviation of parkinson's

disease symptoms. However, the effectiveness of L-dopa typically decreases when used over a

long period of time, so that many longtime users experience some symptoms of the disease.

(Gilbert, Wegner, & Nock. "Chapter 3." Psychology, Third Edition.). So it is not a longterm

solution for the disease, but it can help people to an extent. (I actually saw this YouTube video

about a guy with Parkinson's disease being treated with medical marijuana and it actually really
 Hokanson 3

surprised me and I think you will find it intersting as well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=zNT8Zo_sfwo )

Some illegal drugs when used in moderation can have positive and beneficial effects for

people suffering from a disease. In the article I came across was talking about using psilocybin

(psychedelic) mushrooms as an antidepressant. The dosage was precisely measured and

precisely tiny: 10 micrograms for Smiths husband and about half of that for her, which is just

below the threshold of what would normally make a user trip. (Malone, Noreen. "Hacking

Your Brain."). They reported that Smith didnt see swirling wild colors or shifting shapes. She

didnt feel as if the trees and sky were sparkling magically at her. She didnt imagine that she

saw God. Insteadalong with shaking off those winter bluesshe became very, very efficient.

It gives you fresh eyes, she says, for programming or figuring out algorithmic stuff. It made

me really productive in a motivated way. Whatever mental block that was stopping me from

doing something would disappear. Plus, during her four-month-long mushroom experiment, she

got a lot of household chores done. (Malone, Noreen.). Which, to me, is absolutely amazing that

they were able to use this illegal drug and turn it into something that really benefited them and

made their lives more productive. There are so many different ways drugs can be used and lots of

ways they can help people. A lot of the processes and prescription are still in the process of being

perfected. Some drugs may help people or they could have completely negative to no effect on

them. The truth is that all drugs impact people differently and it is hard to find the right one for a

particular situation.
 Hokanson 4

Works Cited

Malone, Noreen. "Hacking Your Brain." SLCC Library. Marie Claire (US Edition). Dec2016,

Vol. 23 Issue 12, P206-209. 4p. 1 Color Photograph., n.d. Web.

Sherman, Carl. "Impacts of Drugs on Neurotransmission." National Institute on Drug Abuse

(NIDA). N.p., 01 Oct. 2007. Web. 7 Feb. 2017.

Gilbert, Wegner, & Nock. "Chapter 3." Psychology, Third Edition. By Schacter. N.p. pag. 89.

Print.