Archive for the ‘Cocaine Addictions’ Category

postheadericon What are the long-term effects of cocaine use?

Cocaine is a highly addictive drug. Therefore, it is unlikely that a person can predict or control what or extreme lust will continue using it. It is believed that stimulating and addictive effects of cocaine are primarily the result of its ability to prevent the reabsorption of dopamine by nerve cells. The brain emits dopamine as part of their reward system, and it is directly or indirectly involved in the addictive properties of all major drugs of abuse.

You can develop considerable tolerance to “high” of drugs and many addicts report that, although they try, do not get the same pleasure as when first used. Some users often increase the dosage to intensify and prolong the euphoria. Although tolerance may occur to the “high”, users can also develop more sensitivity (“sensitizer”) to the anesthetic and convulsant effects of cocaine, without having increased the dose. This increased sensitivity may explain why some deaths occurring after use of seemingly small dose of cocaine.

When cocaine is used repeatedly and in increasing doses, can lead to a state of irritability, restlessness and paranoia. This can cause a total paranoid psychosis episode in which a person loses touch with reality and suffers from hallucinations.

postheadericon Ready vaccine for cocaine addiction

cocaine addictionScientists in California have discovered a vaccine that neutralizes cocaine addiction in mice, and now prepare a human version could also work with other addictive as nicotine and methamphetamine.

“Our very dramatic results show that we can protect mice from the effects (addictive) of cocaine, and we believe these ranges are very promising in the fight against addiction in humans,” said the director of research, Ronald Crystal.

The project Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, says the vaccine creates antibodies that neutralize the effects of cocaine that create addiction.

A co-researcher, Kim Jandra, said the vaccine “deleted the stimulant effects of cocaine.”

He emphasized that the vaccine blocks the effects of cocaine before it reaches the brain.

In the laboratory model, the vaccine provided immunity to mice for a period of 13 weeks. Read the rest of this entry »

postheadericon Vaccine for cocaine addiction

cocaine addictionScientists in California have discovered a vaccine that neutralizes cocaine addiction in mice, and now prepare a human version could also work with other addictive as nicotine and methamphetamine. “Our very dramatic results show that we can protect mice from the effects (addictive) of cocaine, and we believe these ranges are very promising in the fight against addiction in humans, “said the director of research, Ronald Crystal.

How does the vaccine work? The vaccine creates antibodies that neutralize the effects of cocaine that create addiction, ie, suppresses the stimulatory effects of the drug before it reaches the brain. In the laboratory model, the vaccine provided immunity to mice for a period of 13 weeks. This new finding is extremely useful for the treatment of cocaine addiction crack, which has the highest rate of relapse among patients in addiction treatment to stop. Drug abuse in the U.S. According to the Institute of Health, USA, in 2008 five 300 000 million Americans over age 12 had used cocaine ‘crack’ at least once in previous months. It is considered that crack is one of the most addictive version of cocaine, whose consumption is prohibited in the country.

The expersos know will be a long way to go before the vaccine can be marketed, but hope that one day his discovery is very important to combat addiction in humans

postheadericon Treatment of cocaine

Treatment of cocaineIt is easy to make a differential diagnosis in certain addictions, like the addiction to cocaine. Therefore, the treatment of cocaine depend on the correct diagnosis of addiction, and consequently the prognosis will be more successful. cocaine addiction requires a specific management. “clinical instruments for the assessment of cocaine addiction are essential to know the prognosis, “said Dr. Jose Perez de los Cobos, Barcelona.

cocaine treatment
Treating cocaine drug has limits, since it is common that there may be associated with addictions such as alcoholism, where the use of certain drugs are contraindicated. In such cases, the goal of treatment consists of first reducing the daily intake of alcoholic beverages for a second time makes the specific treatment of addiction. It is now recognized that psychotherapy is one of the most therapeutic strategies used with these patients, so that they can be the best possible use of this substance. It is also necessary to clarify that cocaine is much less common than mass consumption.
Decontrol manifesto addicted to cocaine, indicating a state of dependence such that states can lead to anxiety, depression or psychosis. Moreover, evidence of addiction is that the affected party does not stop drug use, even with the pathological consequences that it generates, using anti-anxiety drugs to limit its effects.

Treatment of cocaine is difficult because the lack of a specific biochemical receptor. Treatment for cocaine by blocking receptors and replacement therapy involves the administration of drugs that act on dopamine receptors, ie, neuroleptics, tricyclic antidepressant substances and dopamine agonists. The Amantadine is a drug used antiviral that has the ability to increase dopamine release from dopaminergic nerve terminals allowing a better supply of neurotransmitters in the respective channels. Its use in the treatment of cocaine addiction has been helpful in the detoxification of some patients, its main drawback is the short half-life which is what the answers to long-term treatment are not as effective.

postheadericon Effects of cocaine

Cocaine is a very powerful drug, capable of significantly altering the psychophysiological state of the consumer. Throughout the history of coca has been used as an invigorating fitness. The ability of cocaine to reduce hunger and fatigue and stimulate muscle activity has been widely recognized. It has been suggested that this effect is due to the consequent increase in blood acidity, from uric acid, and stimulation of the degradation of carbohydrates for energy in the tissues. Even assuming that this metabolic action occurs, the effect on the consumer still depends on many factors. As with any drug, the effects of a minimum dose vary with the particular mental and physical well-being of consumers.

Stimulation is much deeper if the individual is below normal, you feel tired or hungry. The effects are minimal if present the normal euphoria associated with good health. Cocaine has been shown to have a positive effect on muscle activity in general and, more specifically, reaction time and muscle strength.

Researchers have been unable to demonstrate any direct effect of cocaine on motor nerves or muscle groups, hence, have concluded that their effect is probably indirect, acting to increase the overall sense of well-being and willingness to work .

Pharmacologically, cocaine produces two different and unrelated actions: Read the rest of this entry »

postheadericon Scientists prepare vaccine for cocaine addiction

Scientists in California have discovered a vaccine that neutralizes cocaine addiction in mice, and now prepare a human version could also work with other addictive as nicotine and methamphetamine. “Our very dramatic results show that we protect mice from the effects (addictive) of cocaine, and we believe these ranges are very promising in the fight against addiction in humans, “said the director of research, Ronald Crystal. The project Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, says the vaccine creates antibodies that neutralize the effects of cocaine that create addiction.

A co-researcher, Kim Jandra, said the vaccine “deleted the stimulant effects of cocaine.” emphasized that the vaccine blocks the effects of cocaine before it reaches the brain. In the laboratory model, the vaccine provided immunity to mice for a period of 13 weeks. Jandra said the vaccine would be ‘extremely useful for the treatment of cocaine addiction crack which has the highest rate of relapse ‘among patients in addiction treatment to stop. According to the Institute of Health, USA, in 2008 some five million 300 thousand Americans aged 12 years of age had used cocaine ‘crack’ at least once in previous months. It is considered that crack is one of the most addictive version of cocaine, whose consumption is prohibited in the country.

Jandra said that cocaine interferes with normal function in the brain dopamine, which functions as a reward system. A few seconds after using cocaine, the drug beyond the regular flow of blood and accumulates in the brain that creates a feeling of ecstasy that lasts several minutes. People who are addicted or who use cocaine often perceive such a system of ‘reward’ of drug as if it were greater success to stop the addiction, he said.

Jandra The vaccine that has developed since the 90′s makes cocaine ‘outsider’ to the immune system develops antibodies that neutralize the stimulating action, which creates addiction. In experiments, some mice received similar amounts of cocaine to which a human consume without suffering from addiction. Jandra said will go a long way to go before the vaccine can be marketed, but said he hoped one day his discovery is very important to combat addiction in humans.

postheadericon History of cocaine

The cocaine is one of the older drugs. Its use has been known for hundreds of years. Initially, cocaine was used in religious ceremonies to induce meditation, and to help communicate with nature. The Inca reserved the consumption of coca for the nobles and priests, and those highly favored by the nobles were allowed to drink. The leaves were offered in sacrifice to the gods and chewed during worship, and put in the mouths of the dead to assure a happy arrival to the afterlife.

For some time after the conquest of Peru by the Spanish, the use of coca was banned until the Spanish discovered that the Indians could do more with less food when they used the drug. This practice grew into a habit that has never been abandoned. Indians today still bear the arduous and long hours with a bag of coca leaves and other plant ash. The leaves, mixed with a small amount of ashes, into a paste in the mouth and chewed for hours. When it is necessary to increase the physical effort, it also increases the amount of leaves chewed.

The coca plant, which extracted the cocaine , was introduced in Europe in the sixteenth century, but went virtually unnoticed until the nineteenth century, when it began scientific research on its potential. In 1884, one of its most ardent supporters, Sigmund Freud, began a series of experiments and published numerous articles on its benefits. Freud was an avid consumer of cocaine, which he called “magic drug”. He claimed that it had an almost unbelievable healing power and that he could soothe a range of disorders, including morphine addiction, depression and chronic fatigue. Although Freud never publicly retracted their broad support to cocaine, she realized that she had not been able to cure addiction to morphine. Read the rest of this entry »

postheadericon Cocaine brain effects

Cocaine is a substance with a strong stimulant that acts directly on the central nervous system. There, the cocaine is focused on certain neurotransmitters such as dopamine, which regulates the pleasure centers and movement. On dopamine, cocaine does nothing to increase the amounts generated in this neurotransmitter.

Dopamine is a chemical that is issued by the Cerberus as a response or reaction to an incentive pleasant. As the mobile dopamine which communicated some of the cells of the brain, when there is such an incentive fought dopamine cells, which returns to its original cell when the stimulus stops, cutting off communication between neurons.

With cocaine, what happens is that it somehow prevents the return of dopamine to its cell of origin. That is, after the stimulation caused by drugs, dopamine issued not return to its starting place, so it does not break the communication between cells, causes a buildup of dopamine. Read the rest of this entry »

postheadericon Drugs: cocaine, effects

The cocaine is a drug that is derived from the coca plant, stimulates the central nervous system and has been used in medicine as an anesthetic, although currently its use is prohibited and acts directly on the brain and its immediate physiological effects include: sweating, Muscle strength increased, mydriasis, increased blood pressure and heart activity, convulsions, increased respiratory rate and body temperature.

These symptoms can cause death by cardiac arrest or respiratory failure. Irritation and ulcers occur in the nasal mucosa and cause nasal congestion and may appear or not to discharge liquid. The use by injection exposes the addict to infection of AIDS , hepatitis B and C , and other infectious diseases. Infection with HIV can occur through direct transmission of the virus by sharing contaminated needles and other devices and can still be passed to the fetus.
Cocaine is a highly addictive drug , whose effects are felt within seconds and last about 20 minutes and his performance is directly on the brain centers responsible for the feelings of pleasure. Pleasurable sensations in subjects who were newcomers to become unpleasant effects such as agitation, crying, anxiety, depression, amnesia, irritability, delusions of all kinds, paranoid delusions, excessive fear and suicidal tendencies. Read the rest of this entry »

postheadericon Cocaine

CocaineIn cocaine use, there are several contingencies that alter the potential impact that this occurs in individuals who consume it. The different ways that produce different effects on consumers, lie in the way you use drugs, in the amount of substance to be consumed in the reception of the consumer, and, above all, the quality of the substance, which is directly linked to the substance which has been mixed.

When consumed, cocaine produces an immediate effect on the consumer. It highlights the euphoria that generates excitement and confidence. Promotes loss of appetite and sleep and energy. The disappearance of these primary effects, comes another stage in the process of cocaine, leading other states, which are linked to the characteristics mentioned above, such as the amount is consumed, the quality of the substance and the frequency with which they do .

The normal state between those who use cocaine regularly, is a decline in mood, accentuated by a deep depression. These bodies are those that are generating the need to use again, usually by simply avoiding that feeling. Read the rest of this entry »