What Chemicals Affect The Nervous System And Result In Altered Consciousness?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Opioids, including codeine, opium, morphine, and heroin, produce euphoria and analgesia by increasing activity in opioid receptor neurons.

Hallucinogens

, including cannabis, mescaline, and LSD, create an extreme alteration of consciousness as well as the possibility of hallucinations.

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How do depressants affect consciousness and the nervous system?

Depressants are drugs that

inhibit the function of the central nervous system

(CNS) and are among the most widely used drugs in the world. These drugs operate by affecting neurons in the CNS, which leads to symptoms such as drowsiness, relaxation, decreased inhibition, anesthesia, sleep, coma, and even death.

How do drugs and alcohol affect the nervous system?

Alcohol interacts with the brain receptors,

interfering with the communication between nerve cells

, and suppressing excitatory nerve pathway activity. Neuro-cognitive deficits, neuronal injury, and neurodegeneration are well documented in alcoholics, yet the underlying mechanisms remain elusive.

What are the 4 types of psychoactive drugs?

Psychoactive drugs include four groups of drugs:

depressants like alcohol and sleeping pills

; stimulants like nicotine and ecstasy; opioids like heroin and pain medications; and hallucinogens like LSD.

How do psychoactive drugs affect the nervous system?

Psychoactive drugs are drugs that affect the Central Nervous System, altering its regular activity. They

cause changes in a person’s mood, behavior, and awareness

(like time and space).

What drug speeds up the central nervous system?


Stimulants

. Tend to speed up the activity of a person’s central nervous system (CNS) including the brain.

What do stimulants do to the central nervous system?

Stimulants are a class of drugs that

“stimulate”

the body’s central nervous system, which includes the brain and spinal cord. They increase the levels of catecholamines—a family of brain chemicals that includes dopamine. These chemicals are used in the brain processes to signal reward and motivation.

What harms the nervous system?

Injuries (

trauma

), especially injuries to the head and spinal cord. Problems that are present at birth (congenital). Mental health problems, such as anxiety disorders, depression, or psychosis. Exposure to toxins, such as carbon monoxide, arsenic, or lead.

How do caffeine and alcohol affect the nervous system?

Alcohol is

a sedative that slows down the central nervous system

and brain processes. This effect is why people who drink may feel calmer or more relaxed. Caffeine, conversely, is a stimulant, and high doses can cause side effects like anxiety and nervousness.

What does alcohol do to central nervous system?

Alcohol is classified as a central nervous

system depressant

. When consumed even in small amounts, it increases the number of neurotransmitters in the brain responsible for slowing down neuron-to-neuron communications. Under the influence of this change, brain activity decreases.

What is the most commonly used psychoactive substance?


Caffeine

is the most widely used psychoactive substance in the world. In Western society, at least 80 per cent of the adult population consumes caffeine in amounts large enough to have an effect on the brain.

What are the three most widely used psychoactive drugs?

  • Alcohol.
  • Nicotine.
  • Caffeine.
  • Cannabis.
  • Methamphetamine.
  • Cocaine.
  • Heroin.
  • Ecstasy.

What are the 7 psychoactive drugs?

Groups of psychoactive drugs include

stimulants, depressants, narcotics (opioids), hallucinogens, and marijuana (cannabis)

.

Are chemicals that affect the central nervous system and alter activity in the brain?


Psychoactive drugs

– chemicals that affect the central nervous system and alter activity in the brain.

What is one reason that psychoactive drugs have the ability to alter consciousness?

What is one reason that psychoactive drugs have the ability to alter consciousness?

Psychoactive drugs mimic neurotransmitters in the brain.

What drugs inhibit the central nervous system?

  • Alcohol.
  • Barbiturates.
  • Benzodiazepines.
  • Many Sleeping Pills.
  • Opioids.

What drug is not a CNS stimulant?

CNS stimulants include but are not limited to ADHD medications (e.g., Adderall®, Ritalin®, Strattera®, Vyvanse®), other prescription medications (e.g., benzphetamine, modafinil), and caffeine pills and caffeine-containing energy drinks. Illicit stimulants (e.g.,

methamphetamine

) are not included.

What medication increases the amount of dopamine in the central nervous system?


Methamphetamine

increases the amount of the natural chemical dopamine in the brain. Dopamine is involved in body movement, motivation, and reinforcement of rewarding behaviors.

What drugs affect the autonomic nervous system?

  • Cholinomimetics/cholinesterase antagonists.
  • Anticholinergics.
  • Adrenoreceptor agonists/sympathomimetics.
  • Adrenoreceptor antagonists.

What neurotransmitter do stimulants affect?

It produces its effects by causing

dopamine and norepinephrine

to be released into the synapse in several areas of the brain, including the nucleus accumbens, prefrontal cortex, and the striatum, a brain area involved in movement.

How do you stimulate the central nervous system?

  1. Step 1: Exercise on a daily basis. …
  2. Step 2: Get plenty of sleep. …
  3. Step 3: Expose your body to sunlight. …
  4. Step 4: Add meditation in your daily routine. …
  5. Step 5: Walk barefoot. …
  6. Step 6: Drink green tea. …
  7. Step 7: Food you eat matters.

What are the top 3 common nervous system disorders?

  1. Headaches. Headaches are one of the most common neurological disorders and can affect anyone at any age. …
  2. Epilepsy and Seizures. …
  3. Stroke. …
  4. ALS: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. …
  5. Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia. …
  6. Parkinson’s Disease.

What 3 parts make up the nervous system?

The nervous system consists of

the brain, spinal cord, sensory organs, and all of the nerves

that connect these organs with the rest of the body.

Which pollution can cause damage to nervous system?

In addition,

air pollution

, especially PM2. 5 and nitrogen oxides (NO

x

), is known to affect the CNS, causing systemic inflammation, neuroinflammation, and oxidative stress (5–7).

How does alcohol affect the brain and central nervous system quizlet?

Alcohol is a depressant which slows down all the major functions of the central nervous system. It can

cause slurred speech, mental confusion, blurry vision

, and poor muscle control. If enough alcohol is consumed, it severely impairs the functioning of the respiratory system, and can even casue breathing to stop.

What are the four intoxication factors?

List four factors that affect BAC.

Rate of consumption, gender, body size, amount of food in stomach

.

Can alcohol cause a nervous breakdown?

Alcohol abuse can cause different symptoms of mental breakdown including

depression, anxiety, psychosis, and antisocial behavior

. Alternatively, these symptoms of mental breakdown can also occur during withdrawal.

What is considered a hard drug?

Hard drugs include opioids like

heroin, hydrocodone

, oxycodone (Oxycontin) and morphine. Benzodiazepines are another class of hard drugs and include diazepam, alprazolam, clonazepam, and lorazepam. Hard stimulant drugs include methamphetamine (meth), cocaine, and nicotine.

What drug is in caffeine?

Caffeine is

a stimulant drug

, which means it speeds up the messages travelling between the brain and the body. It’s found in the seeds, nuts and leaves of a number of different plants, including: Coffea Arabica (used for coffee) Thea sinensis (used for tea)

What happens when you mix Red Bull and alcohol?

When alcohol is mixed with caffeine,

the caffeine can mask the depressant effects of alcohol

, making drinkers feel more alert than they would otherwise. As a result, they may drink more alcohol and become more impaired than they realize, increasing the risk of alcohol-attributable harms.

What is Korsakoff?

Korsakoff’s syndrome is

a disorder that primarily affects the memory system in the brain

. It usually results from a deficiency of thiamine (vitamin B1), which may be caused by alcohol abuse, dietary deficiencies, prolonged vomiting, eating disorders, or the effects of chemotherapy.

What is the world’s most popular stimulant?


Caffeine

.

Caffeine

is the most widely used psychoactive drug in the world, found in coffee, tea, cocoa, chocolate candy, and soft drinks. 1 While caffeine has several positive effects such as increasing energy and mental alertness, heavy use can cause symptoms such as anxiety and insomnia.

Which drug is an example of psychotropic drug?

Class Examples Typical

antipsychotics


chlorpromazine

(Thorazine); fluphenazine (Prolixin); haloperidol (Haldol); perphenazine (Trilafon); thioridazine (Mellaril)

Which of the following is a central nervous system stimulant?

OVERVIEW. Central nervous system stimulants used for attention deficit disorder, narcolepsy or excessive sleepiness include the amphetamines,

methylphenidate

, atomoxetine, modafinil, armodafinil, pitolisant and solriamfetol.

What is a chemical that affects brain activity?

A chemical that affects brain activity is called a(n) psychoactive drug. The extra

dopamine

released during drug use can. lead to intense cravings for the drug when it is not available.

How does substance use affect the body?

Drug use can also result in long-term health outcomes that include:

harm to organs and systems in your body

, such as your throat, stomach, lungs, liver, pancreas, heart, brain, nervous system. cancer (such as lung cancer from inhaling drugs)

What drug slows down the central nervous system quizlet?


Depressants

are a class of drug which slow down brain functioning. They do this by depressing the central nervous system (CNS).

Charlene Dyck
Author
Charlene Dyck
Charlene is a software developer and technology expert with a degree in computer science. She has worked for major tech companies and has a keen understanding of how computers and electronics work. Sarah is also an advocate for digital privacy and security.