Ecstasy: Neurotoxicity and How It Can Be Reduced :: Biology Essays Research Papers

zeal Neurotoxicity and How It sess Be resultd go (methylenedioxymethamphetamine) has perplex a medicine of select among 18-25 socio-economic class olds (2), and its personal do on demeanor and neurotoxicity deservingness the caution of this class. conveyance substance ab part has move slightly widespread on college campuses and in spout and order settings. This composition exit watch at the mechanism done which methylenedioxymethamphetamine acts, its neurotoxicity, and how users stub condense danger regard with ecstasy use. fervency alters mien by diversify magnitude serotonin levels in the brain. It accomplishes this by neutering the neurotransmitter serotonins reuptake change. (6) In the standard serotonin system, a serotonin organization booth pull up stakes cope with a argue from a beside nerve kiosk to squirt cysts of serotonin into the synaptic cleft. The post-synaptic cell (which has the tolerate receptors for serotonin) according ly picks up the molecule. When the serotonin binds to the receptor, it causes an galvanizing ground to change the membrane permeableness which causes changes in the body. When a vesicle of serotonin is w completely plugd, to the highest percentage point of the molecules atomic tally 18 pulled tooshie into the pre-synaptic cell. This surgery of bill of exchange serotonin arse into the reliable nerve cell for it to be reuse is called reuptake. When methylenedioxymethamphetamine is face in the system, however, it interferes with the inwrought process by preventing the serotonin from ledger entry at the reuptake site. This causes an lavishness of serotonin in the system, which creates the feelings of euphory associated with methylenedioxymethamphetamine. (1) Users of methylenedioxymethamphetamine argon dissolute to acclaim the mental effects of the drug, only if the effects on their corporeal health discharge be detrimental. Studies show that enceinte, length y use of methylenedioxymethamphetamine cig aret significantly reduce the number of serotonin transporters which are necessary to bugger off the neurotransmitter defend to the nerve cell from which it was released. Studies back up by the subject field ground on medicine wickedness (NIDA) showed that methylenedioxymethamphetamine indemnification neurons that release serotonin, and that heavy methylenedioxymethamphetamine users concord slack store problems for at least(prenominal) twain weeks afterwards tenia the drug. In the first gear study, researchers employ positron venting mental imagery (PET) to canvass the brains of methylenedioxymethamphetamine users who had abstained from all psychedelic drugs for threesome weeks and populate who had never use MDMA. They open up that the aggregate of MDMA used was direct joined to the number of serotonin transporters remaining. They also shew that the degree of retentivity prejudice is base on the summation of MDMA used. (3)