Effects of Drugs on Neurotransmission - Essay Example

? Effects of Drugs on Neurotransmission Effects of Drugs on Neurotransmission Introduction The human body consists of various systems, which include the circulatory, nervous, lymphatic, respiratory, digestive, urinary, and endocrine arrangements. The systems are made up of various organs of the body, for example, the respiratory arrangement includes the lungs and the nose. Each of these systems performs different functions from others, but they are interconnected by tissues and fluids. The fluids hold body cells and ensure that they are alive at certain conditions. This means that alteration of the conditions that are favorable for cells to be alive leads to the death of the organelles. The various systems, therefore, have to ensure that the internal conditions of the body are favorable for cells to live; this state is known as homeostasis (Cooper, 2011). The favorable conditions are achieved when the systems ensure that the internal environment remains constant. The process of maintaining the constant conditions is known as the regulation of homeostasis. The process of regulating homeostasis involves three parts that include the effectors, control centers, and the receptors (Cooper, 2011). These parts standardize the internal conditions whenever external circumstances fluctuate. The receptor is in charge of collecting information from the external environment; for example, when the weather changes from hot to cold, these elements record this change. The receptor then transfers the information to the control center. The center is in charge of processing the information received from the receptor. The center then determines the change that should occur in the internal environment to ensure that it does not fluctuate like the surrounding. The center commands the effectors to execute the change (Cooper, 2011). This process is repeated whenever the surrounding conditions fluctuate, and this maintains homeostasis in the body. The change that the center would produce in case of cold weather would be increasing the body temperature. The effectors increase the temperature after receiving the command from the center. Neurotransmission in the Nervous System The nervous system is in charge of controlling other arrangements in the body because it consists of the brain, which is the main body regulator. The systems consist of the brain, neurons, and neurotransmitters. The neurons produce various types of transmitters such as serotonin and dopamine. The neurotransmitters transfer signals to the effectors and receptors in chemical form (Sherman, 2007); therefore, any interference with this process may damage the brain or hinder its efficient functioning. Methods by which Various Drugs Alter Neurotransmission Drug abuse is one of the processes that damage the brain and hinder the efficient functioning of the neurotransmitters. Drugs such as heroine stimulate the production of excess receptors in the brain. The increase in opioids in the brain also increases the production of dopamine. Cocaine, on the other hand, enters the neuromembrane by clinging on dopamine transmitters (Sherman, 2007). This blocks dopamine from entering into the transmitters, and it leads to the increase of these organelles in the synapse. The increase in the dopamine in the synapse leads to the desire for more cocaine, which consequently leads to addiction. Alcohol is another drug that affects neurotransmission by altering the shape and structure of the neuromembrane, enzymes, ions, and receptors. The use of alcohol also blocks the receptors that take place in the synaptic process, which is responsible for helping an individual to learn and remember things (Sherman, 2007). Caffeine, which is contained in drinks such as coffee affects the process of transmitting neurons by preventing adenosine from connecting to its receptor. Adenosine is responsible for inducing sleep in a person. This means that individuals lack sleep when adenosine fails to perform its function efficiently. These disruptions of the neurotransmission that are caused by drug abuse lead to short and long term undesirable effects. Short term and Long term Effects of Drug Abuse of Neurotransmission The short term effects of abusing drugs include lack of sleep that occurs when adenosine fails to attach to its receptors. An individual spends more hours while working than sleeping. This leads to accumulation of sleep in the body. The use of cocaine, which increases dopamine in the synapse, stimulates the feeling of excitement in a person (Sherman, 2007). This feeling lasts for numerous hours, and this causes an individual to engage in more undesirable behaviors. These behaviors may include taking more drugs, fighting, and causing chaos because of the hyper feeling (Webb, 2011). This may lead to imprisonment and huge fines. The other short term effect of drug abuse is the loss of memory that is caused by alcohol consumption. This slows down the learning process of an individual. These changes, however, do not last for long periods because the levels of intoxication reduce and the process normalizes. The excessive use of drugs leads to more undesirable consequences in the long run. One of the effects is addiction that results when the receptors in the body get used to opioids. The tolerance of the substances leads to failure of the neurotransmission to function efficiently when their level reduces. An individual abuses more drugs to stimulate receptors to function. Accelerated use of alcohol leads to the intoxication of cells and damage of serotins and axons (Webb, 2011). The damage of these organelles leads to the long term loss of memory and slow learning in a person. These effects damage the brain in the end, and this leads to the death of the drug abuser. Conclusion Homeostasis is the process by which various systems in the body maintain favorable conditions that allow cells to live and perform their functions efficiently. This process is carried out by three organelles in the body, which include the effectors, control centers, and receptors. Every system in the body has these parts, and each plays a specific function in the regulation of homeostasis. The receptor receives information from the external environment and sends it to the control center. The center processes the information and produces commands, which are executed by the effectors. The neurotransmission process that takes place in the nervous system contains transmitters, which act as receptors and effectors. The brain acts as the control center. This system is the most essential in the body of an individual because it controls the other arrangements. The disruption of the neurotransmission, therefore, damages the brain, and this slows down the efficient functioning of other systems in the body. Drug abuse is one of the processes that affect neurotransmission in various ways. The short term effects of the abuse of drugs include memory loss and excitement, which result from the disruption of receptors. The long term effects include severe damage of the brain, and this may lead to death. The severe consequences of drug abuse on the nervous system indicate that individuals should be encouraged to stop this behavior. The encouragement may be through teaching, rehabilitating, and banning the use of the drugs in the county. The health of the society will improve and lead to growth and development of citizens and the economy. References Cooper, D. (2011). The importance of homeostasis in the body: keeping us alive. Bright hub. Retrieved from http://www.brighthub.com/science/medical/articles/111342.aspx Sherman, C. (2007). Impacts of drugs on neurotransmission. National institute on drug abuse. Retrieved from http://www.drugabuse.gov/news-events/nida-notes/2007/10/impacts-drugs-neurotransmission Webb, T. (2011). The effects of drugs on neurotransmission. Livinghealthy. Retrieved from http://www.livinghealthy360.com/index.php/the-effects-of-drugs-on-neurotransmission-13000/ Read More