GettingtoKnowYourNervousSystemDoDrugsReallyMakeYouHappy?♥INTRODUCTIONHello,mynameisDr.LindaGormanandIamaneuroscientistatJohnsHopkinsUniversity.Question:Doesanyoneknoworcananyoneguesswhataneuroscientiststudies????Yourbrain….whichispartofyournervoussystem.TodayIamheretotalktoyouaboutyournervoussystems’andhowdrugswork.Myfeelingisthatifpeoplereallyunderstandwhatdrugsdototheirbrainsthattheycanmakeamoreinformeddecisionastowhetherornottousethem.SoIamgoingtotalktoyouaboutyourbrainsanddrugs.♥NERVOUSSYSTEMThisisapictureofwhatyourbodywouldlooklikewithoutyourskin,muscles,bones,orotherorgans.Thisisyournervoussystem.Yourbrainispartofyournervoussystem.Butyourbrainisconnectedtoyourspinalcordinyourbackandallthesenerves.Yourbrainisconnectedtoeverysinglepartofyourbody.Thatisbecauseeverypartofyourbody“talks”toyourbrainandyourbrain“talks”rightbacktoeverypartofyourbody.Question:Whatdoyouthinkthatyoureyes“tell”yourbrain?Yourears?Yourmuscles?Yournose?Question:Whatdoyouthinkthatyourbraintellsyourbody?(Kidswillprobablyanswerwithmostlymovements)Yourbrainalsotellsyourbodytodothingsthatyoudon’tevenknowabout…..likeittellsyourhearttobeat,ittellsyourlungstobreath,whenyouarecolditmakesyoushivertowarmyouup,etc.ThisisapictureofaREALbrainandspinalcord.♥DODRUGSMAKEYOUHAPPY?Now,dodrugsmakeyouhappy?Yes.Iwon’tlietoyou.Drugsdomakeyouhappy.Ofcoursetheydo.Thatiswhymostpeoplewanttotakethem.Mostofthedrugsthatpeopletakealldoonebasicthing…..theyrelievestress.Theyinteractwithournervoussystemsandhelptorelievestress.Question:Doesanyoneknowwhatstressis?Everyonehasstressintheirlives.Drugshelptorelievethatstress…..ordothey????♥REWARDCENTERInyourbrain,thereisaplacethatiscalledtherewardcenter.Question:Whatisareward?Itisusuallysomethinggoodthatyougetwhenyoudosomethinggood.Weknowthateverysingleoneofthedrugsthatpeopletaketo“relievestress”workbyinteractingwithasysteminyourbrain,knownastherewardcenter.♥ANIMALSTUDIESWefoundoutaboutthisrewardcenterbydoingstudiesinanimals–ratsmostly.Wehaveknownabouttherewardcenterofthebrainforalongtime.In1954,JamesOldsandPeterMilnerwerethefirsttodemonstratethatintracranialelectricalstimulationcouldbeusedinoperantconditioningexperimentstoreplaceaprimaryreinforcer.♥HAPPYCENTERWheneveryourrewardcenterisactiveyoufeelhappy.Activationofthiscenter–basicallymakesyouexperiencepleasure….happiness.Soweactuallyhaveaplaceinourbrainsthatisorganizedtomakeushappy.Happinessmustbeprettyimportant.♥PRIMARYREINFORCERSMostofthenaturalthingsthatmakeus“happy”–thatactivateourrewardcenter-aretiedtooursurvival.(Survivalisprettyimportant.)Theyaretermedprimaryreinforcers.Thesearethingslikefood,water,sleepandsex.Primaryreinforcersarealsothingslikemaintainingbodytemperature–keepingwarmandcool-tiedtoshelter–andnurturingbehaviors–soouroffspringsurvivetopassonourDNA.Weneedthisrewardsystemforoursurvival–notonlyasanorganism,butasaspecies.Therewardsystemmotivatesustodowhatisgoodforthecontinuationofthespecies.Wehavetoseeknourishment,shelter,food,waterandwehavetoprocreate.Allofthesethingsareassociatedwithpleasure.Thisisprobablybecausewewanttomakesurethattheorganismseeksoutthingsthatitneedstosurviveandprocreate.DRUG&REWARDCENTERDrugsactivateourrewardsystem,tomakeushappy.DRUG&REWARDCENTERDrugsmakeourbrainshappythanthenormalthingsthatmakeusVERYhappy.Thisisbecausedrugsactivateourrewardcenterfasterandlonge...