Tag Archives: Norepinephrine

Dopamine and Norepinephrine Contributing to Addiction?

Dopamine and Norepinephrine and Their Contribution to Addiction

Dopamine and norepinephrine are very crucial neurotransmitters whose functions can never be underestimated. These are some of the most crucial neurotransmitters in the body. In particular, dopamine has very many functions in the body but to many people it is famous for its good feeling effects that it is always identified with but this should not be the case as it has functions beyond the mesolimbic pathway. In the brain dopamine plays such roles as: It plays a big role in starting movement, and the destruction of dopamine neurons in an area of the brain called the substantia nigra is what produces the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Dopamine is involved in the frontal cortex in executive functions like attention and feelings among others. In the rest of the body, dopamine is involved in nausea, in kidney function, and in heart function. Though only relevant to most people when it comes to such aspects as motivation, addiction, attention or lust, dopamine is a crucial neurotransmitter that also does vital functions in different pathways. Therefore dopamine should not only be limited to the mesolimbic pathway. A pathway which starts with cells in the ventral tegmental area, buried deep in the middle of the brain, which send their projections out to places like the nucleus accumbens and the cortex.  the levels of dopamine is naturally controlled by the brain, for example when a person engages  in pleasurable activities the brain will increase the level of dopamine in the nucleus accumbens, however during addiction the dopamine signaling in this area is changed. For any drug to have any pleasurable feeling to the user then the level of dopamine must be increased and this is what causes euphoric feelings that drug users will do anything to achieve.

Dopamine

Dopamine depletion and cocaine addiction

Despite one of the most dangerous drugs of pleasure, cocaine has remained to be one of the drugs that are highly abused worldwide. Cocaine works in such a way that it targets the dopamine which is a neurotransmitter related with euphoric feelings. When taken cocaine will cause a surge of dopamine extracellular in limbic areas, specifically, nucleus accumbens it is this surge that causes euphoric effects cocaine is known for. It is the euphoric properties of cocaine that lead to the development of chronic abuse, and appear to involve the acute activation of central dopamine neuronal systems. Dopamine plays a key role in reward system and stimulation behavior. However, when a person uses cocaine for a long time his neurotransmitter and neuroendocrine alterations will eventually occur. Dopamine depletion is hypothesized to result from overstimulation of these neurons and excessive synaptic metabolism of the neurotransmitter. It is this depletion of dopamine that may underlie dysphoric aspects of cocaine abstinence, and cocaine cravings.  With many research findings on cocaine relations with dopamine, it is clear that cocaine addiction stems from the depletion of synaptic dopamine in the mesolimbic dopamine reward system, leading to a dysphoric withdrawal state that drives cocaine seeking to restore dopamine to normal, drug-dependence level.

After using cocaine for a long time, your brain will be conditioned to use cocaine in order to raise cocaine to the required levels and this result in addicted brain that can’t function without taking cocaine. At this stage it will be hard for an addict to quit using this drug as every time you try to quit all the withdrawal symptoms will set in thereby causing addiction and dependence thereafter. These cravings contribute not only to addiction but to relapse after a hard-won sobriety especially when the addict encounters triggers.

Norepinephrine and Drug Addiction

Norepinephrine is a very vital neurotransmitter in the brain that is also one of the most abundant in the brain. It is important for such roles as selective attention, general arousal, and stress reactions in challenging environments. Norepinephrine has been implicated by several studies as a key mediator of drug reward for three primary reasons. First, the noradrenergic pathways support intracranial self-stimulation (ICSS) and modulate drug-induced changes in ICSS threshold. Secondly, the biochemical activity of psychostimulant drugs includes blockade of Norepinephrine reuptake and enhancement of Norepinephrine release and thirdly, compounds that interfere with Norepinephrine synthesis or signaling influence drug self-administration. The idea that drugs of abuse act via the endogenous reward systems in the brain first arose when psychostimulants such as amphetamine and cocaine have been found to alter support intracranial self-stimulation thresholds. One interpretation of these results was that Norepinephrine mediates the effect of psychostimulants on support intracranial self-stimulation, because these drugs cause Norepinephrine release, block Norepinephrine reuptake or do both.

Dopamine

In a 1970s research done by Davis WM and Smith SG in a study titled: Catecholaminergic mechanisms of reinforcement: direct assessment by drug-self-administration, it was found that catecholamines were important in the mediation of opiate self-administration. in this research, a series of experiments showed that depletion of Norepinephrine and dopamine with amphetamine , a drug which is known to inhibit tyrosine hydroxylase prevents or attenuates the self-administration of morphine in rodents and in nonhuman primates as was shown earlier by Pozuelo and Kerr in 1972.

Finally, Drug addiction is a vice that should be fought by all means that is why we at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center are committed to availing help to addicts and offering them a place to call home. We offer NER Treatment and Amino acid therapy that are the most effective approaches to addiction treatment and recovery. You call on Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) today and begin your journey to victory against addiction.

Dopamine and Norepinephrine and Their Roles in Causing Addiction

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Neurotransmitters

Neurotransmitters-General Psychology

Neurotransmitter

the first neurotransmitter was discovered in early 1920s several others have since been discovered

Neurotransmitters are the chemicals which allow the transmission of signals from one neuron to the next across synapses. They are also found at the axon endings of motor neurons, where they stimulate the muscle fibers. Normally they together with their close relatives are produced by some glands such as the pituitary and the adrenal glands. For a couple of articles in the coming days I will dwell much about NAD being a neurotransmitter and it other functions. I would therefore want to kindly have you on board as we dig into this interesting topic, stay tuned and let us learn together, but for the purpose of article, I want us to byway of introduction review some of the most significant neurotransmitters we have as a basis of understanding ware we are heading to.

Neurotransmitters-Acetylcholine

This is one of the first neurotransmitter to be discovered in early ninety’s.  In 1921 it was isolated by a Nobel laurite German biologist called Otto Loewi for his work.  Some of its functions are;

  • It is responsible for much of the stimulation of muscles, including the muscles of the gastro-intestinal system.
  • It is also found in sensory neurons and in the autonomic nervous system, and has a part in scheduling REM (dream) sleep.

The plant poisons curare and hemlock cause paralysis by blocking the acetylcholine receptor sites of muscle cells.  The well-known poison botulin works by preventing the vesicles in the axon ending from releasing acetylcholine, causing paralysis.  The botulin derivative botox is used by many people to temporarily eliminate wrinkles. On a more serious note, there is a link between acetylcholine and Alzheimer’s disease:  There is something on the order of a 90% loss of acetylcholine in the brains of people suffering from Alzheimer’s, which is a major cause of senility.

NeurotransmittersNorepinephrine

This was discovered by a Swedish biologist named Ulf von Euler in 1946 by then it was called Noradrenalin.  Ulf also won a Nobel Prize.

  • Norepinephrine is strongly associated with bringing our nervous systems into “high alert.”
  • It is prevalent in the sympathetic nervous system, and it increases our heart rate and our blood pressure.
  • Our adrenal glands release it into the blood stream, along with its close relative epinephrine (aka adrenalin).
  • It is also important for forming memories.

Neurotransmitters-Dopamine

It is an inhibitory neurotransmitter, meaning that when it finds its way to its receptor sites, it blocks the tendency of that neuron to fire. It was discovered in 1950s by another Swede called Arvi Carlsson. Dopamine is strongly associated with reward mechanisms in the brain.  Drugs like cocaine, opium, heroin, and alcohol increase the levels of dopamine, as doe’s nicotine.  If it feels good, dopamine neurons are probably involved!

  • The severe mental illness schizophrenia has been shown to involve excessive amounts of dopamine in the frontal lobes, and drugs that block dopamine are used to help schizophrenics.
  • On the other hand, too little dopamine in the motor areas of the brain are responsible for Parkinson’s disease, which involves uncontrollable muscle tremors.
  • It was Arvid Carlsson mentioned above who figured out that the precursor to dopamine (called L-dopa) could elevate some of the symptoms of Parkinson’s. This would latter in 2000 see him being awarded the Nobel Prize.
  • Recently, it has been noted that low dopamine may related not only to the unsociability of schizophrenics, but also to social anxiety.
  • On the other hand, dopamine has been found to have relatively little to do with the pleasures of eating.

Neurotransmitters-GABA

Eugene Roberts and J. Awapara jointly discovered GABA (gamma amino-butyric acid) in 1950, which is also usually an inhibitory neurotransmitter.

  • GABA acts like a brake to the excitatory neurotransmitters that lead to anxiety.
  • People with too little GABA tend to suffer from anxiety disorders, and drugs like Valium work by enhancing the effects of GABA.
  • Lots of other drugs influence GABA receptors, including alcohol and barbiturates.
  • Luck of GABA in certain parts of the brain, results in epilepsy.

NeurotransmittersGlutamate

It is an excitatory relative of GABA which is the most common neurotransmitter in the central nervous system as much as half of all neurons in the brain and is especially important in regards to memory.  Curiously, glutamate is actually toxic to neurons, and anything in excess will kill them.  Sometimes brain damage or a stroke will lead to an excess and end with many more brain cells dying than from the original trauma. ALS also known as Lou Gehrig disease comes as a result of excessive glutamate production. Many researchers believe it may be responsible for quite a variety of diseases of the nervous system, and are now looking for ways to minimize its effects

It was discovered 1907 by Kikunae Ikeda of Tokay Imperial Univ. while looking for the flavor common to things like cheese, meat, and mushrooms.  He was able to extract an acid from seaweed glutamate.  He went on to invent the well known seasoning MSG monosodium glutamate.  It took decades for Peter Usherwood to identify glutamate as a neurotransmitter (in locusts) in 1994.

NeurotransmittersSerotonin

Serotonin is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that has been found to be intimately involved in emotion and mood. For instance:

  • Too little serotonin has been shown to lead to depression, problems with anger control, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and suicide.
  • Too little also leads to an increased appetite for carbohydrates (starchy foods) and trouble sleeping, which are also associated with depression and other emotional disorders.
  • It has also been tied to migraines, irritable bowel syndrome, and fibromyalgia.
Neurotransmitters-Endorphin

In 1973, Solomon Snyder and Candace Pert of Johns Hopkins discovered endorphin.  Endorphin is short for “endogenous morphine.”  It is structurally very similar to the opioids (opium, morphine, heroin, etc.) and has similar functions:  Inhibitory, it is involved in pain reduction and pleasure, and the opioid drugs work by attaching to endorphin’s receptor sites.  It is also the neurotransmitter that allows bears and other animals to hibernate.  Consider:  Heroin slows heart-rate, respiration, and metabolism in general – exactly what you would need to hibernate.  Of course, sometimes heroin slows it all down to nothing:  Permanent hibernation.

Having got the background of these neurotransmitters I want to seek your indulgence to stay on the link to continue getting the optimum benefits from doctor Dalal Akoury who is the founder and MD of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center. She is a professional training physicians globally to offer the best to patients. In her facility she take keen interest and focus on Neuroendocrine Restoration (NER) to reinstate normality through realization of the oneness of Spirit, Mind, and Body, Unifying the threesome into ONE while administering treatment to her patients.

Neurotransmitters-Psychology of neurotransmitters

 

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