Chapter 34, Problem 11STP

Summary Introduction

To write:

The names of drugs that increase level of dopamine in nerve synapses and relate the increased dopamine level to other effects that result from using the drug.

Introduction:

Medication or drug is a material that changes the body's work. It may be artificial or natural. Antibiotics are prescription medications that treat bacterial infections. Cocaine and marijuana are illicit substances. Drugs can influence the body of an individual in several ways. Many medications that influence the nervous system increase the amount of a neurotransmitter known as dopamine.

Explanation of Solution

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter found in the brain that is involved in the regulation of body movements and other functions. Dopamine is profoundly involved in feelings of satisfaction or reward. Dopamine is typically extracted from the synapse by reabsorbing the neuron that released it.

Nicotine in cigarette and cigar smoking increases the amount of dopamine released to the synapse. Nicotine also increases blood pressure, constricts blood vessels, and makes the heart function harder than normal. Cigarette smoking has been associated with around 90 % of all cases of lung cancer.

Conclusion

Thus, nicotine is a drug that causes an increased level of dopamine in nerve synapses.