Dopamine
what is dopamine
a neurotransmitter that is a part of the brain's reward system
what makes adult decision-making different then childrens?
what part of the brain they use to make decisions
what are neurons?
Neurons are nerve cells that send messages all over your body
what is it called when teens are influenced or pressured by their friends to use drugs?
Peer pressure
Which drug kills millions each year?
Opioids
what feeling is dopamine commonly associated with?
pleasure
what part of the brain do adults use to make decisions?
the frontal cortex
what are neurotransmitters?
¨your body chemical messengers" and they carry messages between nerve cells.
What is the main reason for teens to start drugs?
Curiosity
About how many people have died in 2023 due to drugs?
Over 100,000
what can produce dopamine artificially?
mood-altering drugs
teens
Because neurons receive signals from neurotransmitters, drugs can activate neurons themselves due to their chemical structure and their similarity to a transmitter.
What are the two most commonly used drugs by teenagers?
Cannabis and Tobbaco
Name three short-term effects of drug use
withdrawals, anxiety, irritability, paranoia
why does dopamine play a role in addiction?
dopamine re-enforces behaviors that make you feel good, making you want to do them again
what is one thing the frontal cortex controls?
social understanding, learning information, executive functions, reasoning, learning information, voluntary muscle movements
Do drugs send the same messages throughout your body as neurotransmitters?
No
What is one reason outside of friends and self-image that teens may use drugs?
family problems
name three long-term effects of drugs
early onset Alzheimer's, rage, extreme depression, schizophrenia
what is the biological reason for dopamine?
re-enforcing life-sustaining behaviors
what are teens less likely to consider due to using their amygdala to think?
the consequences fo their actions
What parts of the brain are affected by drug usage?
The basal ganglia, extended amygdala, the prefrontal cortex
Their brains are not developed yet
What age group is most affected by drug use?
18-25