In: Biology
Your friend Jamie has been smoking something in order to lose weight. Jamie tells you that smoking has not only gotten her to stop snacking, but also allows her to concentrate harder when studying, especially for the next Psych exam. At the same time, this drug relaxes her and gives her a sense of calm. She thinks you should try it out, as it might help with your studying and could even help you take off a couple of pounds. However, you notice Jamie has an odor about her constantly, and her teeth and nails seem to be yellowing. What has Jamie been smoking?
7. Determine what neurotransmitter is involved with the drug the individual in your case has been using and what led you to believe this. As a bonus, see if you can identify the particular drug.
8. Determine what the subjective effects of the drug are (i.e., what has a person reported feeling after using the drug).
9. Determine what receptors, transporters, or neurotransmitters could be involved and how the drug affects these receptors, transporters, or neurotransmitters.
Answer 7 - Jamie is smoking tobacco cigarette through which she is inhaling nicotine. The sypmtoms shows that nicotine is settled in her body. Neurottransmitters involved with nicotine are actylcholine, dopamine, serotonin, glutamate, gamma-aminobutyric acid and norepinephrine. Most important of those are acetylcholine and dopamine.
Answer 8 - Effects of nicotine are as follows
- increase in concentration while studying
- relaxation, clamness
- weight loss
- yellowing of teeth and nails
- constant bad breath / odor
Answer 9 - Nicotine imitates acetylcholine. Therefore, it binds to nicotine acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) which activates cholinergic neurons. This releases dopamine through Dopamine transporter (DAT) which initiates the reward pathway. Once nicotine takes control of reward pathway, body sends the signals for more requirement of dopamine thought nicotine. This is because nicotine receptors increases which gets satisfied only when nicotine is provided to them. And hence the person gets addicted to cigarette.