Question

Which chemical is processed less efficiently by cocaine addicts than by non-addicts?

a) Glucose
b) Dopamine
c) Serotonin
d) Acetylcholine

Answer 1

Cocaine prevents nerve cells from taking up dopamine, leading to high levels of dopamine in the brain's pleasure centers. After the drug wears off, dopamine is depleted, leading to a pleasureless state and cravings for more cocaine.

Step-by-step explanation:

Cocaine acts as a stimulant by preventing nerve cells from taking up dopamine, another neurotransmitter, from the synapse. High levels of dopamine are therefore available to stimulate the pleasure centers of the brain. The enhancement of dopamine action is thought to be responsible for cocaine's "high" and its addictive properties. After the binge, dopamine is depleted in less than an hour. This leaves the user in a pleasureless state and (often) craving more cocaine.