Drugs affect the brain's reward system from "summary" of Drugs, Addiction, and the Brain by George F. Koob,Michael A. Arends,Michel Le Moal
The brain's reward system is a complex network of neurotransmitters and receptors that is responsible for motivating behaviors necessary for survival, such as eating and reproducing. Drugs have the ability to hijack this system by activating the release of large amounts of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward. This flood of dopamine creates an intense feeling of euphoria, reinforcing the behavior of drug use. Repeated drug use can disrupt the brain's natural reward system, causing it to adapt and become less responsive to normal stimuli. This phenomenon, known as tolerance, leads individuals to seek out higher doses of drugs in order to achieve the same pleasurable effects. Over time, this can lead to dependence and addiction as the brain becomes reliant on drugs to function normally. In addition to altering dopamine levels, drugs can also affect other neurotransmitters involved in the rew...
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