Alcohol
Reduced sensation, balance, and muscle control all reflect impaired _____.
Coordination
During adolescence, unused neural connections are removed through this process.
Pruning
This sticky substance coats teeth and gums and damages enamel.
tar
The main psychoactive chemical in marijuana is abbreviated this way.
THC
This neurotransmitter is strongly associated with reinforcement and reward.
Dopamine
Most alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream through this organ.
Small intestine
The frontal lobes typically continue developing until approximately this age.
25
Smoking damages these tiny airway structures that normally help remove harmful particles.
Cilia
Marijuana can temporarily impair this ability to hold recently learned information.
short-term memory
A phone buzz or notification can function as this type of behavioral trigger.
cue
Alcohol suppresses this excitatory neurotransmitter, slowing communication between neurons.
Glutamate
These brain regions responsible for planning and behavior control mature relatively late.
Frontal Lobes
This gas competes with oxygen for transport in the bloodstream.
Carbon monoxide
Repeated drug use can alter this system responsible for motivation and reinforcement.
Reward system
A powerful desire to repeat an addictive behavior is called this.
Craving
Alcohol strengthens this inhibitory neurotransmitter, effectively increasing the brain’s “brakes.”
GABA
This process coats neural pathways and allows signals to travel more efficiently.
Myelination
Nicotine causes these structures to narrow, increasing cardiovascular strain.
Blood vessels
With repeated drug exposure, the brain may become less responsive to normal rewards through this process.
Tolerance
The brain begins linking certain places, people, or situations with substance use through these.
Associations
Alcohol stimulates dopamine release in this reward-related brain region.
Nucleus Accumbens
Judgment, planning, and decision-making are examples of these higher-level skills.
Executive function
Cancer can develop when cigarette chemicals cause changes to this genetic material.
DNA
THC acts on these structures found on brain cells.
Cannabinoid receptors
Returning to substance use after a period of stopping is called this.
Relapse