1. Cocaine Addiction
Dopamine and Serotonin
Focus
Lorenzo Camacho
Psyc 275 “The Brain”
Professor Christine Moon
Aug/6/2012

2. What is Addiction?

Addiction is a primary, chronic disease involving
brain reward, motivation, memory and related
circuitry; it can lead to relapse, progressive
development, and the potential for fatality if not
treated. While pathological use of alcohol and,
more recently, psychoactive substances have
been accepted as addictive diseases,
developing brain science has set the stage for
inclusion of the process addictions, including
food, sex, shopping and gambling problems, in
a broader definition of addiction (Smith).

3. History of Cocaine

According to Narconon.org, “Cocaine in its various
forms is derived from the coca plant which is native to
the high mountain ranges of South America. The coca
leaves were used by natives of this region and acted
upon the user as a stimulant. The stimulating effects of
the drug increase breathing which increases oxygen
intake. This afforded native laborers of the region the
stamina to perform their duties in the thin air at high
altitudes. In time, science figured out how to maximize
the strength and effect of the drug contained in the
coca leaves.”

4. 
Narconon.org also states, “Through chemically
synthesizing the coca leaves the white crystal
powder we have come to know as cocaine was
created. As time passed newer methods to
magnify the euphoric effects of the drug were
invented which has led us to the most potent
and addictive form of the drug, crack cocaine.”

5. Addicting
Cocaine is very addicting,
when tested on labortory
rats the animals would
ignore food, sex, and
electric shock for another
chance to grovel in the
narcotic (Wormer).

6. Cocaine and the Limbic Brain
Region

In an article entitled, “ Inside the addict's brain”
by Psychological Today states, “Cocaine affects
nerve cells in the limbic system, the most
ancient part of the brain and one closely tied to
emotions. But rather than bind to a receptor, it
interrupts the process of re-uptake that
terminates the action of dopamine. Cocaine is
not only a blocker of dopamine uptake but of
the re-uptake of serotonin and norepinephrine
as well.”

7. 
It also explains that all of this leads to vast over
stimulation of nerve cells and creates intense
feelings of excitement and joy. With cocaine,
dopamine spills forth and floods our pleasure
receptors. On the downside, cocaine eventually
wipes out the brain's existing supply of these
neurotransmitters temporarily, leading to a
hellish withdrawal marked by severe
depression, paranoia, intense irritability, and
craving.

8. Understanding Dopamine &
Serotonin

Dopamine has a variety of influences on brain
function, including playing a role in regulating
attention, cognition, movement, pleasure, and
hormonal processes.

Serotonin is a naturally occurring chemical in
the brain (a neurotransmitter) that is
responsible, in part, for regulating brain
functions such as mood, appetite, sleep, and
memory.

9. Cocaine Effects on Dopamine

Dopamine is implicated in conditioned responses.
Cocaine abusers show decreases in dopamine
levels, which enhances conditioned responses
since tonic dopamine levels modulate dopamine
release.

Dopamine, a neurotransmitter that processes
reward and prediction of reward is involved with
the reinforcing effects of drugs of cocaine abuse
with responses to drug conditioned cues (Wong).

10. Cocaine effects on Serotonin

The serotonin 5-HT and 5-HT receptors, which
are found in abundance in the
mesolimbocortical dopaminergic system,
appear to modulate the behavioral effects of
cocaine (Katsidoni).

The 5-HT system plays an important role in the
organization of spontaneous behaviors, like
locomotion, eating, drinking or grooming, and is
also involved in emotion and mood.

11. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OS2C4NemJI&feature=player_detailpage

12. Addiction

In our textbook, “The Complete Mind” (pg 200),
it states, “Cocaine activates the entire brain but
give an extra stimulus to its emotional centers,
a clue to users' reports that during enhances
the experience of sex and food.”

13. Cocaine Pleasure

Susan Graysen explains it best when she says, “Cocaine
fills many needs for people who use the drag. It becomes
a buffer between the individual and his world. For those
who are afraid to risk vulnerability in a relationship, it
provides courage. For those who become paranoid and
aggressive as closeness develops, it assuages their fear.
For those who are afraid to become dependent on another
person, it provides a "safer" object of dependency. For
those who have problems with the ritual of sexuality, it
provides a ritual of drag-taking. Just take cocaine and feel
energized, vivacious, sexual, interested and involved in the
other person.”

14. BUT...

But, “When the drag wears off, so does the
buffer, and the pain can be overwhelming. The
good, enabling feelings are dependent on a
cocaine state of being.”

Cocaine is a brain irritant: It alters brain
chemistry by affecting several important
neurotransmitters, including:(Graysen)

16. The Addiction...

Cocaine evokes central nervous system
stimulation through two mechanisms. First, it
augments the release of dopamine from
neurons that normally use this neurotransmitter
to relay impulses. More importantly, cocaine
inhibits the re-absorption of dopamine that has
been released into the synapse. The resulting
increase in dopamine within the synapse leads
to heightened and prolonged stimulation of
pleasure centers in the brain

17. 
which sets the stage for repeated use. The
brain compensates for the dopamine surfeit by
decreasing the number and sensitivity of
dopamine receptors, thus prompting
physiologic dependence, evidenced by a need
for increased cocaine doses to achieve a
similar "high." Addiction ensues when the user's
behaviors change to ensure continued
acquisition of the drug.(pg200 TCM)

18. Withdrawal

According to When an addict tries to give up a
dopamine-enhancing drug, the body
compensates for the loss.

Like a stretched rubber band snapping back,
neurons not only return to their initial
neurotransmitter levels, they exceed them.

Hyperactivity often results, contributing to the
symptoms of withdrawal (pg 202 “The
Complete Mind”).

19. Treatment

LiveStrong.com states, Treatment for addiction
disorders is complicated, and cocaine addiction
is no exception. Attention to the multiple needs
of the addicted individual is necessary, in
addition to management of the medical
problems associated with addiction to a specific
substance. Detoxification, usually in a medical
setting, is often required to deal with immediate
withdrawal symptoms.

20. 
Medications to mitigate neurotransmitter
abnormalities can help, as can drugs that
alleviate the mood disturbances associated with
withdrawal. A vaccine to reduce the likelihood of
relapse is under investigation.

21. Annotated Bibliography
BBC News, How does cocaine affect the brain, [video],
(2011), Retrieved August 2, 2012, from
BBC News is credible because of their reputation over
many decades. It's the same reputation that The New
york times newspaper has. Both are not perfect, but
they are conscientious in trying to be honest and
factual. This video speaks about the process of cocain
through the brain and also has Dr. Adam Winlock a
Psychatrist Consultant explain the process.

22. *Graysen, Susan. "Cocaine Alters Brain
Chemistry: Implications For Complex
Treatment." Brown University
Psychopharmacology
Update 6.5 (1995): 1. Academic Search
Complete. Web. 4 Aug. 2012
Concentrates on cocaine and the different types of
treatment. This Journal focuses on the effects cocaine
has on Neurotransmitters. Also Susan Greysen
Graduate from Brown University is a credible source
do to her educational background and acedemic
journal listing in Ebsco.

23. "Inside The Addict's Brain. (Cover Story)."
Psychology Today 27.5 (1994): 37.
Academic Search Complete. Web. 4 Aug.
2012.
This article is a covery story that talks about
neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin. It is a very
credible source due to the nature of the information in
relatio to my topic.

24. *Katsidoni, Vicky, Kalliopi Apazoglou, and
George Panagis. "Role Of Serotonin 5-HT And
5- HT Receptors On Brain Stimulation Reward
And The Reward-Facilitating Effect Of Cocaine."
Psychopharmacology 213.2/3 (2011): 337-
354. Academic Search Complete. Web. 4 Aug.
2012.
This article is about serotonin 5-HT and 5-HT
receptors, 'which are found in abundance in the
mesolimbocortical dopaminergic system,
appear to modulate the behavioral effects of
cocaine...”

25. Livesstrong, The limitless potential of you, 2012
Demand Media, Inc.
<
http://livestrong.com/cocaine-addiction>
This website had an abundance of information
from addiction to cocaine to helping someone
that has a addiction. It explains how cocaine
became addicting and what are the
characteristics of an addict.

26. Smith, David E. "Editor's Note: The Process
Addictions And The New ASAM Definition Of
Addiction." Journal Of Psychoactive Drugs 44.1
(2012): 1-4. Academic Search Complete. Web. 4
Aug. 2012.
In this Journal, it explains the process of addiction and
talks about the new stages of addiction. From drugs to
sex to internet addictions. It is a credible source
because this journal has been peer reviewed.

27. Sweeney, Michael S, “Brain: The Complete
Mind.” Book, Page 200-205, August 2012.
This textbook from class had some great
information and help me get started on my
project. It speaks about withdrawal, recovery,
addiction and much more. It slso touched on
genetic addiction.

28. *Wong, Christopher, et al. "Methylphenidate
Attenuates Limbic Brain Inhibition After
Cocaine-Cues Exposure In Cocaine
Abusers." Plos ONE 5.7 (2010): 1-9.
Academic Search Complete. Web.
4 Aug. 2012.
Wong uses studies to show that cocaine users show
decrease in dopamine levels and tested brain activity
in their studies. Studies prove his hypothesis correct in
many ways.

29. *Wormer, Katherine, “Addiction treatment: A
Strenths Perspective.” Book, Third Edition,
pg 153, August 2012.
The book has very interesting points and
suggestions about addiction and treaments for
specific addictions. Katherine Wormer goes in
detail about a nationwide problem and tries to
focus on recovery tips for users and their
families.