Ritalin: its Structural and biochemical effects in some brain regions may be even greater than those of cocaine (Original English) New scientific studies bring a new wave of concern about the safety of drugs most used because it seems that, often, their effects on the brain are not fully understood. For example, a recent survey shows that Ritalin, a drug prescribed millions of times per year in the United States for the treatment of diseases such the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), has the same effects on the brain as regular use of cocaine, especially in regions of the cortex reward.
The new study, conducted in mice, also shows that sometimes the effects of Ritalin are roughly the same as those of cocaine, which would be a big concern for parents who treat their children with drugs. The research team, based at Rockefeller University showed that methylphenidate, the active ingredient in the ADHD drug, has long-term effects that often overlap with those of narcotic terrible.
"Methylphenidate, which is thought to be a relatively innocuous compound, may have structural and biochemical effects in some brain regions that may be even greater than those of cocaine. More studies are needed to determine the implications of these behavioral changes and to understand the mechanisms by which these drugs affect the formation of synapses, "UK senior research associate Yong Kim, co-authored the new study published in the magazine's February 3 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, said.
UK Vincent Astor Professor Paul Greengard, head of the Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, co-author of the new paper. The team studied the behavior of laboratory rats that were injected with cocaine or methylphenidate for two consecutive weeks. Once the trial period, researchers have focused their questions on the effects of both substances in neurons.
For most of the findings, Ritalin has been behaving much like cocaine because they act the same way in the brain, the fact that both are psychoactive substances, and as such have similar effects. In some cases, however, the methylpenidate revealed a stronger impact than that of narcotics, causing, for example, a higher level of expression of proteins in certain parts of the brain.
This study is very important for the health of American children, and parents need to verify the requirements of their babies "for this drug. Furthermore, although researchers say more studies are needed, they do not mean that they can reach a different result. They simply suggest that they will repeat the experiment and accurately observe the effects of Ritalin on the brain.
Source:
http://news.softpedia.com/news/Ritalin-and-Cocaine-Have-Identical- Effects-on-the-Brain-103929.shtml
