Sylvia L. Rivers Community Outreach Coordinator Center for Drug
and Alcohol Programs How Drugs and Alcohol Affect the Brain
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MUSC Center for Drug & Alcohol Programs to combat alcohol
and drug addiction through research, education, patient care and
outreach
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Addiction affects all walks of life!
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Part I How the brain works
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B They use chemicals called neurotransmitters B One cell gives
its neurotransmitters to another cell to tell it what to do B This
process is called neurotransmission Brain cells (neurons) talk to
each other
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Basic Wiring of the Brain
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Summary 1. Our brain controls how we feel, think and act 2.
Brain cells are called neurons 3. Neurons communicate with each
other with chemicals called neurotransmitters 4.This process is
called neurotransmission
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Part II How Alcohol & Drugs Affect the Brain
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STOP
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Feeling Pleasure and Reward: the Dopamine Way!
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The Reward System Food, water, warmth (natural reinforcers)
cause dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens All drugs of abuse
artificially cause neurotransmission in the nucleus accumbens to an
extreme degree
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DRUG EFFECTS: TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING! ? ? ? STOP?
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What does this mean to your brain? It means that you try drugs
you will probably like them. Because you like them, youll do it
again. And then again. And then again.. Then what?
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Brain changes.. Too much dopamine, and the body turns down the
volume on its own
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Your brain changes Over time, drugs of abuse highjack your
brain: your neurons change physically--one result is that you lose
the ability to feel pleasure (resets pleasure meter) You will need
more and more of the drug just to feel normal--like you used to be
before you took drugs You lose the ability to take or leave the
drug--you HAVE to have it, aka addiction
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Addiction is a chronic brain disease Recovering addicts
struggle for the rest of their lives not to use drugs or alcohol
again Most recovering addicts relapse The brain of an addicted
person remains changed for a long, long time--scientists dont know
if it ever returns to normal
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Brain Scanner - fMRI
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Insula Ventral Striatum Cingulate When people crave alcohol,
there are certain changes to the brain that can be seen on MUSCs
fMRI. These craving centers of the brain are being studied and new
medications are being used in an attempt to reduce craving for
Alcoholism-The Disease Social Drinker Alcoholic When people crave
alcohol, there are certain changes to the brain that can be seen on
MUSCs fMRI. These craving centers of the brain are being studied
and new medications are being used in an attempt to reduce craving
for alcohol and its affect on the brain
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Brain activity is changed by drugs Cocaine Abuser (10 days
later) NormalCocaine Abuser (100 days later)
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Part III Drugs/Alcohol & High School
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Drugs, Alcohol, Teenage Brain InfantChildAdolescentAdult Older
Adult Age of first use, number of initiates
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Warning: Your Brains not done growing! Blue represents maturing
of brain areas. TOP VIEW. SIDE VIEW. IMAGES OF BRAIN DEVELOPMENT IN
HEALTHY CHILDREN AND TEENS (AGES 520) Age 5Age 20
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If you start early, you have a greater chance of getting
hooked!
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Dont believe the hype: Not everyones doing it
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Warning: Drugs can ruin a person, a very short time!
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Summary The brain does not fully developed until mid 20s The
younger you start using, the more likely youll get hooked
Everybodys NOT doing it If you drink too much, you can die If you
use alcohol/drugs frequently over a steady period of time, they can
take over your life
Tips for Parents Tune Into Your Teen Guide Your Teen Respect
Your Teen Be a Good Role Model
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Short term: Impairs vision, taste, smell Slows reaction time
Impairs attention Blackouts Short term: Impairs vision, taste,
smell Slows reaction time Impairs attention Blackouts Effects of
Alcohol Long term: Severe memory loss Constant states of confusion
Liver damage Brain damage Long term: Severe memory loss Constant
states of confusion Liver damage Brain damage
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Heavy Drinking The Risks The Body Inflammation of the liver
(cirrhosis, hepatitis) Increased blood pressure (hypertension)
Damaged heart muscle Stroke Suppression of the immune system
Pneumonia Osteoporosis Brain atrophy Peripheral vascular disease
Miscarriage Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) Accidents and trauma
Suicide Pancreatitis (especially in people with high levels of
triglycerides) Linked with cancers (mouth, throat, esophagus,
colon, pancreas, liver, breast ) Heavy drinking takes its
toll:
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Alcohol Facts Drinking impairs judgment, coordination, can
increase feelings of depression Binge drinking: 4 drinks for women
and 5 drinks for men over a four-hour period. Less time, more risk;
younger people, more risk. Alcohol poisoning is a severe, physical
reaction to an overdose of alcohol. The brain, struggling to deal
with the overdose of alcohol and lack of oxygen, begins to shut
down the voluntary functions that regulate breathing and heart
rate.
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A Standard Serving of Alcohol
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BAL LEVEL (legal limit.08) Hour 1150lbs125lbs100lbs 6
Buds0.160.20.26 1 Bottle Mad Dog0.170.210.27 Half Pint Jack (5
shots)0.150.180.22.08 Legal Limit Impaired balance, speech and
vision.15 Gross motor impairment, judgment severely impaired.20
Feeling dazed, nausea, impaired gag reflex (choke on vomit).30
STUPOR, little comprehension where you are, pass out.40 Onset of
coma, possible death due to respiratory arrest
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After 2 hours of drinking Hour 2150lbs125lbs100lbs 12
Buds0.330.40.51 2 Bottles Mad Dog0.350.420.53 Pint of Jack (10
shots)0.290.350.45.08 Legal Limit Impaired balance, speech and
vision.15 Gross motor impairment, judgment severely impaired.20
Feeling dazed, nausea, impaired gag reflex (choke on vomit).30
STUPOR, little comprehension where you are, pass out.40 Onset of
coma, possible death due to respiratory arrest
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Alcohol Poisoning
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Cigarettes Acetone: nail polish remover Ammonia: household
cleaner Arsenic: used in rat poisons Benzene: used in making dyes
Butane: gas; used in lighter fluid Carbon monoxide: poisonous gas
Cadmium: used in batteries Cyanide: deadly poison DDT: a banned
insecticide Hydrogen Cyanide: rat poison Lead: poisonous in high
doses Methoprene: insecticide Methyl isocyanate: its accidental
release killed 2000 people in Bhopal, India in 1984 Napthalene:
ingredient in mothballs Nicotine: a poison used to kill cockroaches
Polonium: cancer-causing radioactive element
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Nicotine (Cigarettes) Nicotine is the most addictive and
psychoactive chemical in tobacco Cigarette Reaches brain in 8
seconds Chewing tobacco and snuff Mucous membranes lining mouth and
nasal passageways One of 4,000 chemicals in tobacco products
Nicotine is the most addictive and psychoactive chemical in tobacco
Cigarette Reaches brain in 8 seconds Chewing tobacco and snuff
Mucous membranes lining mouth and nasal passageways One of 4,000
chemicals in tobacco products
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Health Consequences of Smoking Cancers of the larynx, oral
cavity, esophagus, bladder, pancreas, and kidney (30% of all cancer
deaths caused by smoking) Lung cancer (80%-90% of all deaths) and
emphysema. Heart disease (people who smoke have nearly twice the
risk of contracting it than nonsmokers do) 4.3 million men and
women worldwide die prematurely due to cigarette smoking. Cancers
of the larynx, oral cavity, esophagus, bladder, pancreas, and
kidney (30% of all cancer deaths caused by smoking) Lung cancer
(80%-90% of all deaths) and emphysema. Heart disease (people who
smoke have nearly twice the risk of contracting it than nonsmokers
do) 4.3 million men and women worldwide die prematurely due to
cigarette smoking.
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Marijuana Is marijuana addictive? What are effects of marijuana
on brain and body? What is K-2 or Spice?
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Is Marijuana Addictive? Many people believe that marijuana
cannot cause addiction THIS IS NOT TRUE Marijuana users CAN become
addicted to marijuana Addicted users have cravings for marijuana
and show withdrawal symptoms when not using Marijuana users CAN
become addicted to marijuana Addicted users have cravings for
marijuana and show withdrawal symptoms when not using
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Short-Term Effects of Marijuana Distorted Perception Problems
with memory and learning Loss of coordination Trouble with thinking
& problem solving Increased heart rate Distorted Perception
Problems with memory and learning Loss of coordination Trouble with
thinking & problem solving Increased heart rate
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Other drugs Opiates pain pills Benzodiazepines benzoes, anxiety
pills Detxomethorphan (DXM, Triple Cs) Family history of
addiction
