Neurochemical roots of addiction

July 5, 2017

Neurochemical roots of addiction needs to be identified and corrected

Neurochemical roots of addiction: The depleted GABA

For a long time, various forms of addictions have been taken to be just as a result of social problems and sometimes even decisions or choices we make in life. Yes, this may be true but we need to take a moment and look into this problem more critically to find facts about the neurochemical basis of addiction. Doctor Dalal Akoury MD, President, and founder of the AWAREmed health and wellness resource center says that it’s good that modern addiction medicine now recognizes that substance dependency of any kind is a disease process of the brain that features lowered dopamine and glutamate neurotransmitter levels. Importantly, as more legitimate research is done in this field of addiction medicine whose experimental basis is beginning to gain ground, models of neurochemical roots of addiction in the future may also feature lowered levels of GABA as the disease progresses. To understand this neurotransmitter (GABA) it will be necessary that we try to define some of the terms associated with it and appreciate the roles and functions of GABA in totality.

The use of GABA

Because of our unique DNA and the way that each of us metabolizes drugs, each of us may have different amounts of GABA in the brain but we are still considered to be operating “normally.” Unfortunately, there are no accepted medical tests to determine if we have too much or too little GABA activity. It appears that people who are nutritionally deficit and dehydrated often have problems with the operation of GABA in their brains. Since almost all of our patients are nutritionally deficient and dehydrated when they arrive at our facility, we have always implemented the addition of GABA to the IV therapy given to patients. The purpose is to provide a more natural boost to the GABA in the brain and to allow the calming effect of GABA to make the detoxification process more comfortable. Let us now understand how GABA operates by defining these terms.

Neurochemical roots of addiction: The neuron

A neuron is another name for a nerve cell.
Nerve cells float in the fluid.
Each neuron has an axon a thread-like part of the cell that sends signals from the cell body and a dendrite a part of the cell that receives signals from other neurons.
The neurons are not touching and the space between the cells is called the synapse.
Electrical signals are sent through the synapse to a receptor, a place on a cell that can produce a certain effect like the production of adrenaline if someone is frightened.

Neurochemical roots of addiction: The central nervous system (CNS)

The CNS is composed of the brain and the spinal cord.
The CNS transmits signals to the rest of the body using chemical messengers called neurotransmitters.
Neurotransmitters are stored in vesicles—hollow sac-like structures inside the cells.
These neurotransmitters carry a message from a neuron to receptors on another neuron.
The action of the neurotransmitters on the receptors has been likened to a key being inserted in a lock.
When the key is turned the lock opens and the neurotransmitters activate the receptors which in turn create an effect in the body.
Then many of the neurotransmitters return to the releasing vesicles to be used again.

Finally, you can always talk to us by calling doctor Akoury on telephone number 843 213 1480 to help you with any concerns you may have.

Neurochemical roots of addiction: The depleted GABA

Neurochemical foundation of addiction

January 13, 2017

Neurochemical foundation of addiction treatment solutions begins with diagnosis and tests for accuracy in treatment delivery

Neurochemical foundation of addiction: The exhausted GABA

In order to understand the neurochemical foundation of addiction, it is important that we first understand how GABA operates. And to do so, we are going to speaking to doctor Dalal Akoury MD, President, and founder of the AWAREmed health and wellness resource center. And her submission she brakes the understanding as follows.

The neurons
The central nervous system (CNS)
Inhibitory neurotransmitters
Excitatory neurotransmitters

Having discussed the first two previously, we are going to progress with the remaining as follows:

Neurochemical foundation of addiction: Inhibitory Neurotransmitters

Some neurotransmitters act like a brake on a car.
They inhibit or slow down the actions of the neurons.
These are called inhibitory neurotransmitters.
Other neurotransmitters act like an accelerator.
They increase the speed of the actions of the neurons. These are called excitatory neurotransmitters.
GABA is the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain.

Neurochemical foundation of addiction: Excitatory Neurotransmitters

Excitatory neurotransmitters are vital to:
- Help us stay alert
- Maintain our normal memory functions
- Maintain our co-ordination
- Maintain normal emotional responses
- Maintain our heart rate
- Maintain our blood pressure
Glutamate (a common amino acid) is the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain.

Which neurotransmitters are released?

If there is something that creates:
- Anxiety
- A feeling of panic
- Other stress
Excitatory neurotransmitters are released and a person can feel:
- Restlessness
- Higher than normal irritability
- Rapid heartbeats
- High blood pressure
- Insomnia
- Even seizures.

The role of GABA in the brain

Glutamate speeds things up and when they are going too fast, GABA slows them back down.
If there is a problem with the GABA in our brains, the neurons fire more and more, increasing the speed of the processes in the brain?

Neurochemical foundation of addiction: How GABA works

When GABA binds to a nerve cell receptor, it opens the nerve cell so that chloride ions present in the brain are allowed to move into the nerve cell to slow the activity of the cell, and the person normally experiences a calming feeling. For example, if our brain produces more excitatory neurotransmitters like norepinephrine or epinephrine (adrenaline) than normal, we can become anxious or have more stress than normal. And when the brain is working normally, it will produce more GABA thereby slowing down the actions in the brain and thus have a calming and relaxing effect on us.

Finally, this article will go a long way in helping you do the right thing with your life. In doing so certain professional decisions will have to be made and to do this, seeking for the expert opinion will be necessary. And that is where doctor Dalal Akoury and her team of experts come in. the lever of professionalism at this facility (AWAREmed health center) speaks for itself since doctor Akoury’s practice focuses on personalized medicine through healthy lifestyle choices that deal with primary prevention and underlying causes instead of patching up symptoms. This is what you need and calling her on telephone number 843 213 1480 should be your starting point for the total life transformation.

Neurochemical foundation of addiction: The exhausted GABA

http://www.awaremednetwork.com/

Neurochemical basis of addiction

January 13, 2017

Neurochemical basis of addiction and addiction treatment systems

Neurochemical basis of addiction: The depleted GABA

For a long time, various forms of addictions have been taken to be just as a result of social problems and sometimes even decisions or choices we make in life. Yes, this may be true but we need to take a moment and look into this problem more critically to find facts about the neurochemical basis of addiction. Doctor Dalal Akoury MD, President, and founder of the AWAREmed health and wellness resource center says that it’s good that modern addiction medicine now recognizes that substance dependency of any kind is a disease process of the brain that features lowered dopamine and glutamate neurotransmitter levels. Importantly, as more legitimate research is done in this field of addiction medicine whose experimental basis is beginning to gain ground, models of neurochemical bases of addiction in the future may also feature lowered levels of GABA as the disease progresses. To understand this neurotransmitter (GABA) it will be necessary that we try to define some of the terms associated with it and appreciate the roles and functions of GABA in totality.

The use of GABA

Because of our unique DNA and the way that each of us metabolizes drugs, each of us may have different amounts of GABA in the brain but we are still considered to be operating “normally.” Unfortunately, there are no accepted medical tests to determine if we have too much or too little GABA activity. It appears that people who are nutritionally deficit and dehydrated often have problems with the operation of GABA in their brains. Since almost all of our patients are nutritionally deficient and dehydrated when they arrive at our facility, we have always implemented the addition of GABA to the IV therapy given to patients. The purpose is to provide a more natural boost to the GABA in the brain and to allow the calming effect of GABA to make the detoxification process more comfortable. Let us now understand how GABA operates by defining these terms.

Neurochemical basis of addiction: The neuron

A neuron is another name for a nerve cell.
Nerve cells float in the fluid.
Each neuron has an axon a thread-like part of the cell that sends signals from the cell body and a dendrite a part of the cell that receives signals from other neurons.
The neurons are not touching and the space between the cells is called the synapse.
Electrical signals are sent through the synapse to a receptor, a place on a cell that can produce a certain effect like the production of adrenaline if someone is frightened.

Neurochemical basis of addiction: The central nervous system (CNS)

The CNS is composed of the brain and the spinal cord.
The CNS transmits signals to the rest of the body using chemical messengers called neurotransmitters.
Neurotransmitters are stored in vesicles—hollow sac-like structures inside the cells.
These neurotransmitters carry a message from a neuron to receptors on another neuron.
The action of the neurotransmitters on the receptors has been likened to a key being inserted in a lock.
When the key is turned the lock opens and the neurotransmitters activate the receptors which in turn create an effect in the body.
Then many of the neurotransmitters return to the releasing vesicles to be used again.

Finally, you can always talk to us by calling doctor Akoury on telephone number 843 213 1480 to help you with any concerns you may have.

Neurochemical basis of addiction: The depleted GABA

http://regenerativepotential.com/wp-admin

Glutamate-Homeostasis-Hypothesis-Addiction

Addictive biochemistry and the HPA axis

December 27, 2016

Addictive biochemistry and the HPA axis that focuses on the real action points

Addictive biochemistry and the HPA axis: Ending alcohol abuse using alternative treatment

The door to addictive biochemistry opens when either the hypothalamus or one of the organs which serve the hypothalamus in accomplishing this job is injured, or if the nutrients required are not available. In any one of these conditions, the entire system will fall off the “point zero” (homeostasis) that the HPA system tries to maintain opening the door for addictive biochemistry. According to the experts at AWAREmed Health center under the leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury MD, we can’t change the fact that addictive biochemistry and full out alcoholism are associated with overexpression of the sympathetic nervous system; low serotonin, GABA, dopamine, endorphins and enkephalins and it is in the hypothalamus where the delicate job of balancing this network of hormones and neurotransmitters to achieve physical and mental health is supposed to be done whether it be directly from the hypothalamus or via the pituitary and adrenals under the control of the hypothalamus.

Differences between biochemistry and alcoholism

The only difference between addictive biochemistry and full out alcoholism is that addictive biochemistry becomes aggravated, meaning that the deficient condition within the hypothalamus, pituitary or adrenals is made more profound by the damaging effects of alcohol toxicity and the medicating effects which, while drinking, overexpress serotonin, endorphins and dopamine which magnifies the negative impact of an already up-regulated brain chemistry. The symptoms the problem drinker experiences intensify in direct relationship to the diminishing health of the neuroendocrine system which further encourages the person to drink more thus causing further damages. This cycle progressively intensifies until intervention which discontinues and heals the damage is required to stop it.

The pituitary gland is located below the hypothalamus and is directly connected to it via nerve and circulatory pathways. The hypothalamus regulates the function of the pituitary gland which in turn controls hormonal secretions of all other glands; however, specific to alcoholism we are concerned with the function of the adrenals and the secretion of cortisol which is under control of ACTH (adrenocorticotrophin) secreted by the pituitary, and epinephrine and norepinephrine which is also released by the adrenals due to a rise in CRH and/or signals from the sympathetic nervous system. In the case of cortisol release, when the hypothalamus registers low blood sugar it will send CRH (corticotrophin releasing hormone) to the pituitary which then releases ACTH which will cause cortisol to be secreted from the adrenals. This chain of events will also cause the release of epinephrine and to a lesser degree norepinephrine. Prolonged increased levels of epinephrine will block insulin receptors which lead to insulin resistance and lowered serotonin, endorphin, enkephalin and GABA levels which impair HPA functions and increases compulsive/addictive behavior.

The adrenals sit on top of the kidneys and are directly controlled by the pituitary gland. The adrenals are comprised of two sections; one is the medulla which is the inner core and the second is the adrenal cortex which is the outer layer. The medulla relates to the sympathetic nervous system and produces the catecholamine’s epinephrine and norepinephrine. The adrenal cortex produces sex hormones, aldosterone, and what we’re most concerned with cortisol.

Although it is hard to imagine because they are docked on our kidneys, adrenal health is fundamental to our mental health. Proper levels of cortisol, epinephrine and norepinephrine are crucial to our mental well-being so the concentrated focus needs to be applied to their health when healing addictive biochemistry and alcoholism. As you consider breaking way from addictive biochemistry and alcoholism, you can always consult with doctor Dalal Akoury an expert in this discipline for over two decades and has been helping many get their life back globally by emphasizing on Neuroendocrine Restoration (NER) to reinstate normality through realization of the oneness of Spirit, Mind, and Body, Unifying the threesome into ONE.

Addictive biochemistry and the HPA axis: Ending alcohol abuse using alternative treatment

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Central nervous system depressants

June 7, 2016

Central nervous system depressants. All depressant when used wrongly can have serious effects on the brain

Central nervous system depressants: What are depressant?

What is there in a name? It is amazing how drugs of abuse often has so many names. Depressants as drugs are also not left out they are also known as central nervous system depressant besides other street names like barbs, reds, red birds, phennies, tooies, yellows, or yellow jackets, candy, downers, sleeping pills, or tranks, A-minus, or zombie pills. Central nervous system tranquilizers derails the normal activities of the brain and even that of the spinal cord say doctor Dalal Akoury MD, President and founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center which is a health facility founded with soul objective of offering addiction solution to the suffering communities and the globe at large.

From her experience of over two decades in this profession, doctor Akoury agrees that medical doctors often prescribe depressants to people who are anxious or are just struggling getting quality sleep. This is a common practice and nothing is wrong with that. Depressant when taken religiously as prescribed by the doctor are beneficial to patients. However when central nervous system depressants are abuse or used wrongly, the consequences can be very severe. Doctor Akoury reiterates that when depressants are misused, dependence and addiction are inevitable risks. As individual users continues abusing these prescription drugs either by taking someone else medication or just taking your own inappropriately to get high, all the other chronic health conditions that are associated with drug addiction can easily attack such users.

As we continue exploring on the effects of depressants, it is important to note that, these drugs can be divided into three primary groups: barbiturates, benzodiazepines, and sleep medications. Each of these groups will equally cause harm if not used appropriately. Careful attention needs to be taken in ensuring that the right prescription is used and the doctors instructions followed religiously. In the meantime if for whatever reason you did not follow instructions well and you’re now suffering from its addiction, all is not lost. You can still get your life back if only you can schedule for an appointment with doctor Akoury today for professional guidance.

Central nervous system depressants: How are depressant abused?

Depressants usually come either in pill or capsule form. They can be abused in different ways including some of the following:

Taking someone else’s prescription depressant medication.
Taking a depressant medication in total disregard of the doctor’s advice.
Experimenting with or taking depressants just for fun or to get high.
Taking a depressant while under the influence of other drugs.

Central nervous system depressants: How do depressants affects the brain?

Most depressants affect the brain by increasing the activity of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a chemical in the brain that sends messages between cells. The increased GABA activity in turn slows down brain activity. This causes a relaxing effect that is helpful to people with anxiety or sleep problems. And like with other drugs, taking too much of GABA activity can be very harmful. Finally you can avoid all these harmful effects by seeking for help from the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center today and you will not regret having done so.

Central nervous system depressants: What are depressant?

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