Posted by linkadge on August 28, 2006, at 20:57:33
In reply to Re: Dopaminergics, amineptine, addiction, posted by psychobot5000 on August 28, 2006, at 20:13:10
The only issue is that there is a real distinction between the way a drug like prozac and a drug like ritalin work in the brain.
When the drugs are tested in mice it is simple enought to see. The mice do not have any chemical imballences to begin with, but they will self adminster cocaine and ritalin, because they like it. It is a pleasurable substance. This is because both directly activate the pleasure centres of the brain. Other antidepressants do not do this.
That is why you hear people who have done harder drugs say things like "don't even try it once".
Another clear difference between the activities of the drugs is how the stimulants are able to activate "addiction genes". A former coke, meth or even nicotine addict can still feel intense cravings for the drug many years after use. All of these substances lead to activation of certain genes involved in the addiction process. I think the gene is known as delta fos-B, also known as intermediate early genes.
Once these genes are swiched on, they do not turn of very easily. Ie, I don't think we have found a way to directly turn off these genes. The recent finding was that even the stimulants used to treat ADHD turn on these genes.
So, lets say some kid uses this kind of drug for all of their childhood, and then comes off it at adulthood. Even though the disorder may have abated, the genes are still turned on, and the patient may continuously feel like something is missing for their adulthood. Now, if they use use a harder drug like cocaine, they may be more likely to continue to use it based on the fact that the drug is now ameliorating a previously instilled predisposition.
Linkadge
poster:linkadge
thread:680536
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20060825/msgs/681001.html