Mind Over Matter - Stimulants

The Brain's Response to Stimulants

Hi, my name's Sara Bellum. Welcome to my magazine series exploring the brain's response to drugs. In this issue, we'll investigate the fascinating facts about stimulants. Some of this information was only recently discovered.

Have you eaten any chocolate or drunk any soda lately? If you have, there's a good chance you gave your body a dose of a stimulant — caffeine, which is also in coffee.

Eating or drinking a large amount of caffeine can make you feel jittery, nervous, or energetic. That is because caffeine — like any stimulant — changes the way your brain works.

But caffeine is just a mild example of a stimulant. Many other stimulant drugs are much stronger -- and some are illegal and very dangerous. Others require a doctor's prescription.

Examples of stronger stimulants include:

• Cocaine: Made from the leaf of the coca plant, this drug often comes in the form of a white powder that some people inhale through their nose

• Crack: A form of cocaine that can be smoked

• Amphetamines: Often called "speed," these pills are sometimes prescribed by doctors for medical problems

• Methamphetamine: A powerful form of amphetamine that comes in clear crystals (called "ice") or powder (called "crank") that is smoked or injected

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