1. Your Brain on Drugs Presentation 8/13/08
This is your Brain, this is your Brain on DRUGS, any Questions? YES LOTS! or
Q Why do Youth Take Drugs?
A BECAUSE THEY WORK !
So what can we do?
Revised from a presentation by
Ira Sachnoff
Tobacco and Alcohol Consultant, SFSUD

2. Highlights What’s the teen environment The adolescent brain
Reward System
Alcohol/Marijuana/Tobacco
Influencing our children

3. Pruning
“USE IT OR LOSE IT”– Reading, sports, music, video games, x-box, hanging out—whatever a child/teen is doing—these are the neural synapses that will be retained
How children/teens spend their time is CRUCIAL to brain development since their activities guide the structure of the brain

4. Neuroadaptation & Hypofrontality Memory Loss
Neuroadaptivity – Dulling of the pleasure center of the brain
Hypofrontality – Interference with the decision making area of brain
Memory loss – Damage to the hippocampus

5. Reward System
The reward system is responsible for seeking natural rewards that have survival value
seeking food, water, sex, and nurturing
Dopamine is this system’s primary neurotransmitter
reward

6. Drugs Hijack the Brain’s Reward Circuitry
Immediate effect of drug use is an increase in dopamine
Continued use of drugs reduces the brain’s dopamine production.
Because dopamine is part of the reward system, the brain is “fooled” that the drug has survival value for the organism.
The reward system responds with “drug seeking behaviors”
Craving occurs and, eventually, dependence.
reward

7. Dopamine vs. Serotonin Pleasure vs. Happiness
Dopamine produces a feeling of pleasure
Serotonin produces a feeling of well being
Difference between pleasure and happiness (short lived vs big picture)
Developing skills, interest, relationships, meaning (“getting a life”)

8. The Message Non-Use is as Normal as Experimental Use Use = Risk
Risk is not Evenly Distributed
Addiction is Real
Quality of Life can be diminished even without developing addiction; i.e., Seduction Vs Addiction
Motivations for Initial Vs Continuing Use are always different
DELAY, DELAY, DELAY