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Methamphetamine Research Paper

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Methamphetamine is a serious drug that can affect the brain and different parts of the body. Methamphetamine is a chemical cousin to amphetamine, and their chemical structures are similar. Also methamphetamines are a central nervous stimulant that affects chemicals in the brain and nerves that can contribute to hyperactivity and impulse control. Methamphetamine can be swallowed, snorted, smoked and injected by the user of the drug. The effects usually last from four to eight hours or even last all day, or it depends on the dosage. This drug is not instantly addictive for most people. This drug can change the way the brain functions. The neurotransmitters, particularly dopamine, which can regulate the feel good mechanism in the body. Longer the use of methamphetamine may cause a greater reduction of dopamine transporter density in the brain. …show more content…
Also, it is known to produce long lasting damage not only to dopamine cells, but also to other brain regions, including white matter, that are not part of the dopamine network. It also interferes with the neurotransmitters norepinephrine too. The brain affected by this drug is prefrontal cortex and cerebellar cortex, amygdala and hippocampus. Methamphetamine’s also impact the brain memory impairment, memory loss, a reduced the ability to think clearly or logically, a reduced ability to maintain focus and attention, and a reduced ability to regulate violent or aggressive urges. I think it started when the methamphetamine attaches itself to the uptake pumps. It actually binds to them more powerfully than dopamine, and will push dopamine out of the way to get to them. Methamphetamine then gets transported into the cell masquerading as dopamine. The neuron thinks the methamphetamine is dopamine, so it tries to absorb it into the

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