The Science of Addiction

Neurons transmit messages to the brain. This is the whole reason for addiction to drugs. Neurons are the messenger to the brain, sending it different problems to solve or transfer of movement. They come in very different sizes and colors, making them different from each other. Some neurons are specifically responsible for muscles, while others can be seen working in the nervous system. There are special neurons located in the brain. They are nearby a pathway, called the Reward Pathway. The Reward Pathway’s main job is to make us feel good from feelings. When the five senses can detect something good, neurons in the Reward Pathway release the chemical dopamine, causing the brain to express the emotion of happiness. How do neurons release dopamine? Well, neurons “talk to each other” by making an axon ending of neuron align with the dendrite of another. The axon ending will release certain chemicals called neurotransmitters. The neurotransmitters enter the dendrite  through receptor sites, or gates. The neuron receives the neurotransmitters, and passes it on to the next neuron. Drugs work alter the reward pathway to create a dangerous amount of happiness. Take a drug like meth. Meth is a drug that can be broken down into chemicals small enough for the neuron to pick up. After meth is “inserted” into the body, it goes straight up to the brain, and becomes part of the neurons neurotransmitters. Then, the meth causes the dopamine released from the axon ending to increase dramatically, causing much more happiness than there should be. With the amount of dopamine released, the Reward Pathway is altered to create an extreme amount of happiness. In order to keep up with the amount of dopamine reieved, the brain must adapt so that more meth is needed to fuel the Reward Pathway. This leads to addiction of the drug. There are ways to spot a drug addict, but they are somewhat difficult to accomplish. Dendrite on neurons are much bigger than they should be and the amount of dopamine receptors shown are very limited. These may show whether or not that a person has taken drugs, but it is highly unlikely that this will turn into a regular procedure.