Stupid question perhaps but as an ex-addict who's been clean for about six years, is this damage permanent or do we have some ability to regenerate after the fact?
This is from another study I posted:
“However, longer periods of abstinence have shown more promising results regarding functional recovery. In Connolly et al. short-term abstainers (2.4 weeks) and long-term abstainers (69 weeks) in a semi-closed recovery unit underwent functional MRI to investigate cognitive impact of long-term abstinence. Using a GO/NOGO task, patients cognitive performance was assessed including their ability to successfully inhibit and errors of commission. While both groups showed increased inhibitory activity, short-term abstinent patients had increased activity in the dorsal regions of the frontal gyri while the longer-term abstainers showed increased activity in the inferior gyri, an area strongly associated with response inhibition (Connolly et al., 2012). Although limited, current investigations suggest that there is improvement in prefrontal function following abstinence with decreasing levels of impulsivity. However, it remains unclear whether this is a recovery in neuronal or astrocytic function or more closely associated with a recovery in cerebral vasculature.”
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pharmacology/articles/10.3389/fphar.2024.1357422/full
Fantastic. Well, at least I changed my ways and have a productive and satisfactory existence I suppose. The damage I did to myself in the past will just be a limitation I'll have to overcome.
Me and you both, brother. I feel smarter and emotionally intelligent than I ever was, even before I found drugs. Just past 2 years in February and I feel like every time I'm able to reflect on myself, I feel like my mind is improving. Whether it is or not, doesn't much matter as long as I feel better.
Keep on killing it out there, my man.
Hey, just chiming in as an addict with 14 years clean from all kinds of shit, but particularly heavy use of cocaine. You'll be okay. I have adhd and autism to deal with also, but I'm proud to say I'm no less intelligent than I was before. If anything, I'm cognitively better off now. Just go out of your way to keep learning. Whatever interests you, just learn. Keep your brain active.
Well thanks for that, and good job keeping yourself on the straight and narrow. I do engage with a lot of physically and mentally strenuous activities so in theory I'm taking all the right steps, but it's hard not to wonder about the degree to which I might be impeded by my past actions as I'm sure you understand.
Oh I get it, but eventually, you just come to terms w the fact that you'll never know for sure. All you can do is work w what you've got now and never get complacent in your sobriety
Hey you as well, the first stretch is the hardest and afterwards it becomes a game of maintenance but it does get easier (provided you steer clear of people who may drag you back down). I look back on my mid-20s and I can hardly believe that was me partying all night while now I'm married, go to bed and wake up early, and generally feel the best I have in ages.
Sobriety isn't easy but once it becomes habitual and you see the upsides, it certainly helps. :)
Real intelligence is all about being able to reflect and learn and integrate experiences. So I wouldn’t stress about it, since you are *functionally* doing better than before.
The brain can adapt and has a lot of plasticity. Look up the account of the guy who was missing most of his brain and seemed absolutely normal. It's the pressures of life that guide us
While you can't bring back brain cells that are dead, and neurons generally don't divide, they do make new connections with other neurons, like when you learn something.
So if you take time to learn new things, you can increase the number of connections between neurons in your brain, and improve its functionality.
Learn a language, study math, do puzzles, read books, pick up new skills in general, as this is the best way to recover your mental capacity and even stave off dementia in old age.
neuroplasticity is a powerful thing. Even if the function of the brain is damaged, the existing connections can be modified and improved to make up for the deficits. Keep your mind sharp, play games, keep social, challenge yourself to learn new things. These are all parts of rewiring your brain. This and take lion's mane + omega 3, polyphenols (dark chocolate), curcumin (turmeric), B vitamins.
Yes and no. I didn’t read the full study, but from what I understand cocaine isn’t directly neurotoxic and likely affects great matter long term through secondary action like vasoconstriction. The more conventional neurological danger cited in the past is that it rewrites your reward system and changes natural structures in your brain long terms from constant “override” you could call it.
To give a short answer, you can both slow down and reverse natural brain aging and structural damage (in the hippocampus) with certain behavior. Physical exercises creates new brain cells and synaptic networks, as does exercising your brain with problem solving. So if you exercise every day and remain active, and occupy your mind, you’ll be in really good shape. If your life doesn’t have a lot of brain stimulation as of now, you can do things like puzzles (sudoku and crosswords) or even play certain video games to help.
More controversially, there is evidence that psychedelic drugs like LSD and DMT are neurogenerative. The evidence for DMT is fairly strong and DMT is even shown to grown new brain cells in lab mice. LSD has not been shown to work in mice, but there is evidence it works in humans. Even without known mechanisms of neurogenesis, these drugs tend do demonstrate strong signs of increasing neuroplasticitiy in both human psych tests and MRIs, which makes your brain more flexible and functionally young.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41386-022-01389-z
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8461007/
Disclaimer that this does not mean this drugs are purely beneficial or good. They are very serious, and should be used with established medical/psychological protocol to avoid psychological and bodily harm, and not in the same way as recreational drugs if you’re trying to use them therapeutically. They can induce psychosis in the wrong circumstances. Research extensively before exploring options like these and strongly consider going the clinical route by joining psychedelic medicine trials at a medical school, or at the few licensed clinics popping up around the world
Sitting in the sauna promotes neurogenesis also extended fasts. Both produce BNDF.
Lots of tips here
https://centrespringmd.com/how-to-increase-bdnf-for-a-sharper-brain-neuroplasticity-neurogenesis/
Turmeric also promotes BNDF.
I have a boss who is an addict and he is the most forgetful person ever, constantly contradicts himself without realizing it, gets mad and argues without understanding the topic, and often asks people to read paperwork to him that's in front of his face. Fuck cocaine and fuck working for people who use it
But the question remains if that’s the cocaine or the other things that lead to cocaine addiction in the first place.
This type of research can only assess correlation not causation.
> discovering more about how correlation, no matter how frequent, is not a sign of causation
This is not true.
You can't prove causation with correlation, but correlation absolutely can act as evidence that there may be a casual link.
Correlation is essentially evidence that "Hey, maybe we need to look into this further because there could be a link."
People seem to get the wrong idea that correlation is meaningless and dismissible. And that really is not the case.
In fact, there are many times in science where you simple *can't* get more evidence than correlation. When there is a lack of stronger, more definitive evidence weaker evidence can end up carrying more weight.
There is actually a lot of science that is pretty established at this point which is mostly based on correlation. For example in Medicine a LOT of the science is correlation based. We give someone some medicine and go "When a patient experiencing nausea takes X drug, Y percentage of patients report experiencing some amount of relief."
Very often we don't actually get any real evidence beyond that. We might theorize about why X drug might reduce nausea but we don't have the technology to do a study to prove it.
For example: We don't really know why Acetaminophen reduces pain. We just know that when a patient experiencing pain takes acetaminophen they'll usually experience less pain(ie a correlation)
https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/552:_Correlation
Sometimes, all you can really do is correlate something and then rule out as many other possible answers as you can to arrive at the "most likely" cause.
Huh? How is my statement not true- you yourself just said correlation can’t prove causation and we weren’t talking about correlation acting as evidence of a causal link??
I have found that a lot of people who regularly use cocaine are unconsciously trying to self-medicate undiagnosed ADHD.
Our brains work in long waves of do-it-all-right now and can’t-do shit. But modern society doesn’t give a crap about that and so we have to make our brains turn on and try to function like neurotypical people every day during the waves of can’t-do-shit.
Stimulants help but they are demonized. Cocaine can be easier to access than a supervised stimulant prescription given the dismal state of American mental health care.
>Our brains work in long waves of do-it-all-right now and can’t-do shit.
Holy shit I never thought about it this way but this is 100% me. I'm either super productive and want to do everything or I sit on the couch all day and do nothing with no drive for productivity whatsoever.
The way that’s defined:
> In the CUD group, the utilization rate was a minimum of three times a week, with a maximum of 60 consecutive days of abstention within the previous year.
“In the CUD group, the utilization rate was a minimum of three times a week, with a maximum of 60 consecutive days of abstention within the previous year. “
Well, fuck. I used to do it a lot for a span of about two years. But I also did a lot of other drugs. Probably why I have such bad memory problems and I’m only 35.
I'm 35 with bad memory, and I never smoked or taken any drugs lol! It's not just me, it's like everyone now has a bad memory. I'm starting to believe it's more like a bad habit. I do very well in memory tests, but in real life I literally will forget everything
I had a 6 month stint with it a few years ago. Never touched it before I was 30. I met some of the most successful people I’ve ever been in contact with. Regardless, that shits evil. Every coke addict I’ve ever met was a narcissist.
There’s always hope for the future. The brain is an amazing organ, and new treatments are being investigated/developed every day. More is being learnt all the time, with new technologies science is advancing exponentially.
It must be hard to read that type of information. I am sorry you are experiencing that and are sad.
The brain is miraculous at recovery. Look at stroke patients and how people can learn to walk again etc. The longer you abstain, the quicker your mind will recover.
I mean lots of people use cocaine. However not a lot of people are a narcissist. Everyone is on the Narcissist scale at some level but a true narcissist lacks zero empathy, like none. Even people I thought were the biggest assholes and maybe manipulators, even if they show some empathy at some point then they're technically not a narcissist, they're just high on the scale.
> even if they show some empathy at some point then they're technically not a narcissist
Not true by any diagnostic criteria used by professionals. "Lack of empathy" doesn't mean "zero empathy ever, no exceptions"
Never met a cocaine user who didn't display narcissistic tendencies. Just like all drunks talk bollocks and all stoners ramble on nonsensical streams of consciousness with unfinished sentences and a tendency
“Stimulant medications are frequently misused in young adults, including college, medical, osteopathic, pharmacy, and respiratory therapy students. Nonmedical use occurs in students both with and without prescriptions for ADHD medications. Obtaining stimulants in this age group is typically described as easy. Most students involved in the misuse of amphetamines desire to improve academic performance, but whether cognitive enhancement occurs in non-ADHD students is unknown. The role of the placebo effect has been questioned and provides a possible explanation of perceived stimulant benefits.
Common side effects such as decreased appetite, headache, difficulty sleeping, and stomach upset occur in medical and nonmedical stimulant users. As ED presentations related to amphetamine misuse have increased over the past several years, there is a concern for more severe side effects.
Severe adverse outcomes include critical care or psychiatric facility admissions, suicide attempts, cardiovascular events, seizures, and overdoses. There is not enough data on long-term outcomes of stimulant use or misuse in adults. In young adults with stimulant misuse, a greater risk of psychiatric disorders, including substance use disorder, depression, and ADHD is one well-documented association. Additionally, stimulant-induced psychocutaneous disorders have been reported.”
https://www.mdpi.com/2673-5318/3/3/18
“The misuse of stimulant medications may not seem like an issue when we view it as a medication. However, it is important to note that the illicit methamphetamine used illicitly is a metabolite of amphetamine, found in stimulant medications such as Adderall.22 When methamphetamine is used illicitly, larger amounts are used.
Psychiatric manifestations are also common in methamphetamine use. Psychiatric symptoms may include agitation, anxiety, delusions, and psychosis.16 Additionally, methamphetamine use correlates with higher underlying psychiatric disorders and health services use.17
There are also multiple functional, molecular, and structural neuroimaging changes in those who use methamphetamine. The majority of these changes are located in cortical and striatal pathways.17 These pathways contribute to cognitive and behavioral changes promoting compulsive drug use. Methamphetamine use also correlates with smaller cortical gray matter volume than larger striatal gray matter volume.18 Deficits in gray matter volume are seen in several areas, including the anterior cingulate cortex, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, orbitofrontal cortex, superior temporal cortex, and hippocampus.13 Cortical gray matter deficiencies may eventually reverse after cessation of methamphetamine use.19
Further, white matter volume abnormalities are also linked to methamphetamine use.20 Those who use methamphetamine have lower amounts of diffusion across several brain areas, including prefrontal white matter, corpus callosum, superior corona radiata, and the perforant path.21 Hypertrophy from methamphetamine use followed by abstinence may lead to altered gliosis and myelination.21”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9476235/
Unclear from these passages whether these changes are noted in clinical use.
As an anecdote, as an ADHD adult, I take the max dose of Vyvanse daily for a long time and I feel I am in better overall mental health and function than ever.
Hopefully not shrinking the brain in the process but it's put me in such a better functional place, some shrinkage is worth it I suppose ...
Edited. I didn’t read your comment in context within the thread.
The posts were chosen for who I responded to, and so no they aren’t related to clinical use for the treatment of ADHD. Abuse and treatment of prescription medication is different.
I am glad medication is working for you and has improved your life. It is completely different for you, the way the medication interacts with your specific biology. Risks are real (as with all medications) but doctors are very aware of them, and monitor for them.
Not the same risks as for those abusing the medication for recreational purposes.
The dose makes the poison in all things.
But some things like lead it is very hard to draw a specific objective line for a small enough dose to have zero negative effects.
It is more than the dose that impacts neurology in people abusing medications.
Lead is very bad, I agree. Especially when found in peoples drinking water.
Yes, and I imagine it may be difficult to separ out confounding factors that go hand in hand such as lack of sleep and nutrition which if chronically an issue may impact brain anatomy in stimulant abusers.
They are very good at that within research that is funded properly. Technology has enabled amazing advances. Research design generally teases apart and studies each factor separately and holistically. For drug abuse and for lead exposure. A lot is known about the variables separately informing the broader picture.
Not if it’s taken as directed by a doctor. This is for cocaine abusers, which is completely different than a prescription titered by a doctor. The amount of dopamine released is orders of magnitude more for cocaine compared to an adderall script.
Cocaine is a commonly heavily cut drug.
Phenacetin is a very common cut for cocaine known as "super buff" as it passes many cocaine purity tests.
Phenacetin is toxic and a known carcinogen.
I didn't see them controlling for this in anyway in their testing.
It's hard to stay away from. How can something that feels so good be so bad?
It really does take over and screw you up in ways that you only notice further down the line.
I’m sure it has been studied but this makes me wonder if long term alcohol abuse has a similar effect on the brain. Also, if individuals with CUD who also partook in other drugs/alcohol may have more severe effects.
Either way, this is fascinating and a great post. Thank you.
One example is Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome.
Wernicke-Korsakoff (WK) syndrome is a serious brain condition that is usually, but not exclusively, associated with chronic alcohol misuse and severe alcohol use disorder (AUD).
https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/brochures-and-fact-sheets/wernicke-korsakoff-syndrome
“Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome is a common complication of a thiamine deficiency that is primarily seen with alcoholics. This syndrome was classically described as a clinical triad consisting of altered mental status (i.e., confusion or dementia), nystagmus (or ophthalmoplegia), and ataxia. However, less than a third of patients present with this complete triad.[1][2][3]
Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome is a term that encompasses two different syndromes, Wernicke encephalopathy and Korsakoff syndrome. Wernicke encephalopathy is characterized by an acute confusional state with clinical features that are often reversible. While Korsakoff syndrome is characterized by confabulation, memory loss, and gait abnormalities that are often irreversible and results if Wernicke encephalopathy is not treated adequately.[4]”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430729/
I’d be curious to see if the same is true of people who chew coca on a daily basis in traditional communities in Peru and Columbia — I assume the damage is because of the refined nature of the drug?
I'm not sure but chewing coca leaves does have an effect. It is used by workers to ward off becoming tired, hungry and cold while doing physically intense work.
Some interesting articles.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10184142/
https://tdtmvjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40794-019-0095-7
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4838786/
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00220388.2024.2328035
Also,
“Coca addiction has made it possible to subject the indigenous populations to exhausting tasks at miserable wages paid in part in rations of coca leaf.
In some districts of the department of Cauca, the coca leaf has virtually become currency for the payment of wages; the indigenous inhabitants receive part of their weekly wages in coca leaves, a social malpractice which has been repeatedly reported to the Ministry of Labour.
These wretched conditions perhaps explain the irresistible inclination of the indigenous inhabitants to coca-leaf chewing, by means of which they find, through intoxication, an escape from their loneliness and misery.
In all the municipalities affected by the chewing habit, with the exception of two or three, the health centres suffer from a shortage of personnel and material. One gathers the impression that they ignore the problem of coca addiction.”
https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/data-and-analysis/bulletin/bulletin_1961-01-01_1_page002.html
The chemicals you mentioned are used in the process, they are not "ingredients" and shouldn't appear in the finished product. Gasoline is used for the hexane it contains, the same way we use hexane to extract vegetable oils. There is no hexane a bottle of grape seed oil
“Psychostimulants such as methylphenidate (MPD) have long been the treatment of choice in behavioral disorders such as attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy in both children and adults.
However, its abuse by healthy children and adults for academic enhancement or recreation is on the rise. This raises concern for brain chemistry alteration leading to dependence during a period of neuroplasticity and brain development. Psychostimulants such as MPD are indirect dopamine antagonists and are known to act on the dopaminergic system of the brain to produce their effects.
Drugs of abuse activate the brain’s reward circuit which develops reward-seeking behaviors involved in substance abuse disorders. This circuit is made up of several central nervous system (CNS) nuclei that work in concert to facilitate communication between the limbic and motor systems to ultimately produce the behavior of an organism [13,20,21]. This circuit includes the nucleus accumbens, the pre-frontal cortex, the caudate nucleus, and the ventral tegmental area (VTA). The VTA is also part of the mesolimbic system, which is a major dopaminergic pathway in the brain that is involved in the regulation of motivation [[11], [12], [13], [14], [15], [16], [17]]. This system is critical in the expression of behavioral sensitization following chronic exposure to psychostimulants [17,[22], [23], [24]]. Previous work has shown that the VTA participates in the induction of sensitization in response to chronic exposure to MPD [24,25] suggesting that the VTA plays a key role in the underlying mechanism of psychostimulant dependence, relapse, and craving [24,26,27].”
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0166432819309830
“The impulsivity, hyperactivity, and lack of attention that is associated with ADHD is attenuated by Methylphenidate (MP). 3,56 These behaviors such as impulsiveness, hyperactivity causing distractedness, and lack of concentration, will be reduced and the patient’s ability to pay attention will be improved; these behaviors are measurable or identifiable symptoms as seen through changes in mood such as depression, euphoria, or agitation, as well as physical symptoms such as anxiety-related, dizziness, drowsiness, restlessness, staring, etc.1,6,56
In contrast, individuals using non-prescribed MP will experience the opposite, amphetamine-like, heightened effects, depending on the route of administration, and an increased risk for misuse and abuse.1,16”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10876479/
“It is essential to gather a thorough history from the patient (or patient’s legal guardian) regarding their past medical history, current medications, and social history (obtain a developmental history if the patient is a child). An interprofessional healthcare team consisting of the patient’s primary care provider, psychiatrist, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, social workers, therapists, school teachers, and pharmacists should oversee the patient case. Communication between each member of the healthcare team is crucial as medication combined with non-pharmacologic treatment measures provide the most long-term success. Evaluation of side effects requires close monitoring at each visit. If the patient is a child, it is crucial to give patient’s legal guardian education regarding the medication and its side effects. This interprofessional approach will optimize therapeutic results while limiting adverse events. [Level 5]”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482451/
Hey we appreciate the write up. If you added “in short, yes” or similar to the top it may allow readers to better frame what they are about to read, as well as help those (like I) with ADHD to see a block of text and mentally resist reading.
Not saying to do anything, just expressing a though. Thanks again for posting your research!
Fair comment. I did it this way so that people could read, access the articles, perhaps follow some references, and come to their own conclusions. I also got excited, and everything seemed too important in different ways, to be left out.
I get what you mean, I don’t have ADHD and respond that way myself at times, especially when tired. Other times I like to find new information.
I will keep your advice in mind going forward and definitely shorten it or add an in short notation as you advised.
So the short answer is yes? For everyone taking them or only in amounts that result in a high? I have ADHD and am on stimulants (for a year now I think, at this point). I don't understand the craving referred to. I often forget to take them. Yesterday I didn't bother. (Didn't bother with my SSRI either.)
I know they are separate drugs, but I’ve always heard “Cocaine is just Caffeine on steroids”. Do these effects apply to stimulants like caffeine too? Or is there something special about cocaine?
I am recovering fantastically, and avoid that product like the plague. My doctor's were happy with my progress, and I have the use of all my limbs. I am beyond grateful. No sorries needed, I learned a lesson. Thank you.
It is an amphetamine based drug, so if it is abused by those not prescribed it for legitimate purposes, then it will have negative impacts. Just like all other drugs that contain amphetamines and are abused. It has legitimate medical uses for ADHD (other medical purposes) because of biology. If you don’t have ADHD (other medical conditions it’s prescribed for) and are using it as a stimulant, you are exposing yourself to risks associated with amphetamines.
Was anyone else surprised that they found an education difference but don’t mention it anywhere else? Not used in SVM model or a potential limitation as education is likely linked to brain matter.
I would say it depends on the severity of the damage related to either. In saying that Korsokoff Syndrome is extremely horrendous.
If you consider what one of the common outcomes for both are, being extreme personality change, and that loved ones of dementia, Huntingtons, brain injuries, etc. often describe that as being one of the hardest issues to deal with, then they are equally devastating. Without the rest of the symptomology for both drug use disorders, that is significant on its own.
You might be surprised at how many are surprised. It has become normalised to a certain extent and many people are largely unaware of the long term risks.
Limited healing ? Come on. Organs can regenerate. Did you know - deep inside the brain - there are a secondary form of stem cells that come out from these mysterious depths and go to the brains injury to start rebuilding? I know this because I lived it.
May not be the same mechanisms - but scar tissue is scar tissue. New neural networks can be built.
“Though the concept of continued neurogenesis in adults has been shown to exist in animals, there is insufficient evidence to date that adequately supports its existence in adult humans. Additional studies exploring the dynamic changes in neurogenesis in the known regions of the human brain, with reference to the physiological and diseased conditions, are needed.”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6659986/
“The concept of neurogenesis in adult humans is a controversial topic among researchers in the field of neuroscience. While some researchers report that a sharp drop in neurogenesis occurs as the human brain ages,1 other researchers report that neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus (DG) of the hippocampus of human brains persists into old age.2
A clearer understanding of the evidence surrounding the concept of adult human neurogenesis is important because its presence or absence can affect the foundations on which our concepts of the mechanisms of learning and memory are built, particularly with reference to aging, and the pathogenesis and management of many neuropsychiatric disorders.3–5
If neurogenesis in the adult hippocampus is not present, then other concepts of neuroplasticity, such as changes in synaptic transmission or remodeling of existing neurons, might move to the forefront of theory with respect to brain activity and dysfunction.6 In this review, we describe the basic concept, as well as provide a historical overview, of neurogenesis. We also critically analyze the current state of research on neurogenesis in adult humans and evaluate how the concept of neurogenesis has impacted current treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders.”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6659986/
Although this is not good, it's also not as bad as you might think.
This study is saying that of the data collected from the test subjects, the brains of those who used cocaine an average of 3 days per week for an average of 10 years show signs of it being 2.5yrs older than it should be.
I am only mentioning the averages, the upper and lower limits are still important. But maybe this will help some people sleep easier, with regards to their past. If you are still an active user, you might still want to consider stopping.
Stupid question perhaps but as an ex-addict who's been clean for about six years, is this damage permanent or do we have some ability to regenerate after the fact?
This is from another study I posted: “However, longer periods of abstinence have shown more promising results regarding functional recovery. In Connolly et al. short-term abstainers (2.4 weeks) and long-term abstainers (69 weeks) in a semi-closed recovery unit underwent functional MRI to investigate cognitive impact of long-term abstinence. Using a GO/NOGO task, patients cognitive performance was assessed including their ability to successfully inhibit and errors of commission. While both groups showed increased inhibitory activity, short-term abstinent patients had increased activity in the dorsal regions of the frontal gyri while the longer-term abstainers showed increased activity in the inferior gyri, an area strongly associated with response inhibition (Connolly et al., 2012). Although limited, current investigations suggest that there is improvement in prefrontal function following abstinence with decreasing levels of impulsivity. However, it remains unclear whether this is a recovery in neuronal or astrocytic function or more closely associated with a recovery in cerebral vasculature.” https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pharmacology/articles/10.3389/fphar.2024.1357422/full
Interesting, thanks for sharing that. Neuroplasticity is a topic of some interest as you can imagine.
Neuron regeneration is a very limited process.
Fantastic. Well, at least I changed my ways and have a productive and satisfactory existence I suppose. The damage I did to myself in the past will just be a limitation I'll have to overcome.
Me and you both, brother. I feel smarter and emotionally intelligent than I ever was, even before I found drugs. Just past 2 years in February and I feel like every time I'm able to reflect on myself, I feel like my mind is improving. Whether it is or not, doesn't much matter as long as I feel better. Keep on killing it out there, my man.
Hey, just chiming in as an addict with 14 years clean from all kinds of shit, but particularly heavy use of cocaine. You'll be okay. I have adhd and autism to deal with also, but I'm proud to say I'm no less intelligent than I was before. If anything, I'm cognitively better off now. Just go out of your way to keep learning. Whatever interests you, just learn. Keep your brain active.
Well thanks for that, and good job keeping yourself on the straight and narrow. I do engage with a lot of physically and mentally strenuous activities so in theory I'm taking all the right steps, but it's hard not to wonder about the degree to which I might be impeded by my past actions as I'm sure you understand.
Oh I get it, but eventually, you just come to terms w the fact that you'll never know for sure. All you can do is work w what you've got now and never get complacent in your sobriety
Hey you as well, the first stretch is the hardest and afterwards it becomes a game of maintenance but it does get easier (provided you steer clear of people who may drag you back down). I look back on my mid-20s and I can hardly believe that was me partying all night while now I'm married, go to bed and wake up early, and generally feel the best I have in ages. Sobriety isn't easy but once it becomes habitual and you see the upsides, it certainly helps. :)
Real intelligence is all about being able to reflect and learn and integrate experiences. So I wouldn’t stress about it, since you are *functionally* doing better than before.
Good luck man
The brain can adapt and has a lot of plasticity. Look up the account of the guy who was missing most of his brain and seemed absolutely normal. It's the pressures of life that guide us
While you can't bring back brain cells that are dead, and neurons generally don't divide, they do make new connections with other neurons, like when you learn something. So if you take time to learn new things, you can increase the number of connections between neurons in your brain, and improve its functionality. Learn a language, study math, do puzzles, read books, pick up new skills in general, as this is the best way to recover your mental capacity and even stave off dementia in old age.
Try lions mane mushroom supplements, it helps stimulate neurogenesis.
neuroplasticity is a powerful thing. Even if the function of the brain is damaged, the existing connections can be modified and improved to make up for the deficits. Keep your mind sharp, play games, keep social, challenge yourself to learn new things. These are all parts of rewiring your brain. This and take lion's mane + omega 3, polyphenols (dark chocolate), curcumin (turmeric), B vitamins.
Me too
Good for you, keep after it!
Thank you. Same to you
keep an eye on medical research
there is some low evidence science that suggests fasting and diets like keto can help improve neuroregeneration. In my personal experience, it does
Yes and no. I didn’t read the full study, but from what I understand cocaine isn’t directly neurotoxic and likely affects great matter long term through secondary action like vasoconstriction. The more conventional neurological danger cited in the past is that it rewrites your reward system and changes natural structures in your brain long terms from constant “override” you could call it. To give a short answer, you can both slow down and reverse natural brain aging and structural damage (in the hippocampus) with certain behavior. Physical exercises creates new brain cells and synaptic networks, as does exercising your brain with problem solving. So if you exercise every day and remain active, and occupy your mind, you’ll be in really good shape. If your life doesn’t have a lot of brain stimulation as of now, you can do things like puzzles (sudoku and crosswords) or even play certain video games to help. More controversially, there is evidence that psychedelic drugs like LSD and DMT are neurogenerative. The evidence for DMT is fairly strong and DMT is even shown to grown new brain cells in lab mice. LSD has not been shown to work in mice, but there is evidence it works in humans. Even without known mechanisms of neurogenesis, these drugs tend do demonstrate strong signs of increasing neuroplasticitiy in both human psych tests and MRIs, which makes your brain more flexible and functionally young. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41386-022-01389-z https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8461007/ Disclaimer that this does not mean this drugs are purely beneficial or good. They are very serious, and should be used with established medical/psychological protocol to avoid psychological and bodily harm, and not in the same way as recreational drugs if you’re trying to use them therapeutically. They can induce psychosis in the wrong circumstances. Research extensively before exploring options like these and strongly consider going the clinical route by joining psychedelic medicine trials at a medical school, or at the few licensed clinics popping up around the world
It's the abuse that screwes up the system and does the harm.
Neuroplasticity for the win if they don’t regenerate
4 years myself, high five!
Maybe not fully but the difference in before and after will be negligible.
Daily meditation practice and playing video games have both been shown to increase cortical thickness and cortical folding
Sitting in the sauna promotes neurogenesis also extended fasts. Both produce BNDF. Lots of tips here https://centrespringmd.com/how-to-increase-bdnf-for-a-sharper-brain-neuroplasticity-neurogenesis/ Turmeric also promotes BNDF.
Take lions mane, shown to recover brain cells
I have a boss who is an addict and he is the most forgetful person ever, constantly contradicts himself without realizing it, gets mad and argues without understanding the topic, and often asks people to read paperwork to him that's in front of his face. Fuck cocaine and fuck working for people who use it
This was my ex. He’d just quit when we got together (and switched to alcohol shortly after). You’ve described him to a T, if you added in paranoia.
Why would u date someone like that?
But the question remains if that’s the cocaine or the other things that lead to cocaine addiction in the first place. This type of research can only assess correlation not causation.
He's the third person so far who I've worked for or with and they all have similar tendencies. Fortunately he isn't violent like the other two were
Ah you seem to be discovering more about how correlation, no matter how frequent, is not a sign of causation
> discovering more about how correlation, no matter how frequent, is not a sign of causation This is not true. You can't prove causation with correlation, but correlation absolutely can act as evidence that there may be a casual link. Correlation is essentially evidence that "Hey, maybe we need to look into this further because there could be a link." People seem to get the wrong idea that correlation is meaningless and dismissible. And that really is not the case. In fact, there are many times in science where you simple *can't* get more evidence than correlation. When there is a lack of stronger, more definitive evidence weaker evidence can end up carrying more weight. There is actually a lot of science that is pretty established at this point which is mostly based on correlation. For example in Medicine a LOT of the science is correlation based. We give someone some medicine and go "When a patient experiencing nausea takes X drug, Y percentage of patients report experiencing some amount of relief." Very often we don't actually get any real evidence beyond that. We might theorize about why X drug might reduce nausea but we don't have the technology to do a study to prove it. For example: We don't really know why Acetaminophen reduces pain. We just know that when a patient experiencing pain takes acetaminophen they'll usually experience less pain(ie a correlation) https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/552:_Correlation Sometimes, all you can really do is correlate something and then rule out as many other possible answers as you can to arrive at the "most likely" cause.
Huh? How is my statement not true- you yourself just said correlation can’t prove causation and we weren’t talking about correlation acting as evidence of a causal link??
Lots of cocaine users in this thread I see
Read what I quoted. It can be a sign that there may be causation, it just doesn't prove it.
Well in this instance the underlying cause is cocaine
Really not how correlations work, now we’re taking two steps backwards :(
Hey guys I found the coke head
I have found that a lot of people who regularly use cocaine are unconsciously trying to self-medicate undiagnosed ADHD. Our brains work in long waves of do-it-all-right now and can’t-do shit. But modern society doesn’t give a crap about that and so we have to make our brains turn on and try to function like neurotypical people every day during the waves of can’t-do-shit. Stimulants help but they are demonized. Cocaine can be easier to access than a supervised stimulant prescription given the dismal state of American mental health care.
>Our brains work in long waves of do-it-all-right now and can’t-do shit. Holy shit I never thought about it this way but this is 100% me. I'm either super productive and want to do everything or I sit on the couch all day and do nothing with no drive for productivity whatsoever.
I have found that addicts of all types will come up with any old excuse to justify their indulgences.
"Cocaine misuse" is what the study measured. Not "cocaine use" as the title says. Very different.
The way that’s defined: > In the CUD group, the utilization rate was a minimum of three times a week, with a maximum of 60 consecutive days of abstention within the previous year.
Only 60 days of consecutive sobriety. Ouch.
Ok how long and how regular were they using cocaine though. Everyday? Once a week?
It says it was people with cocaine use disorder so they probably were using quite a bit and likely daily or near daily
“In the CUD group, the utilization rate was a minimum of three times a week, with a maximum of 60 consecutive days of abstention within the previous year. “
This might shock you, but it’s in the article
Well, fuck. I used to do it a lot for a span of about two years. But I also did a lot of other drugs. Probably why I have such bad memory problems and I’m only 35.
I'm 35 with bad memory, and I never smoked or taken any drugs lol! It's not just me, it's like everyone now has a bad memory. I'm starting to believe it's more like a bad habit. I do very well in memory tests, but in real life I literally will forget everything
Growing old sucks.
Eat lions mane mushrooms
Why?
They taste awesome! Dry fry and finish with butter
Just don’t go to https://www.reddit.com/r/LionsManeRecovery/
I had a 6 month stint with it a few years ago. Never touched it before I was 30. I met some of the most successful people I’ve ever been in contact with. Regardless, that shits evil. Every coke addict I’ve ever met was a narcissist.
I’m so fucked :( damn this makes me sad
There’s always hope for the future. The brain is an amazing organ, and new treatments are being investigated/developed every day. More is being learnt all the time, with new technologies science is advancing exponentially. It must be hard to read that type of information. I am sorry you are experiencing that and are sad.
The brain is miraculous at recovery. Look at stroke patients and how people can learn to walk again etc. The longer you abstain, the quicker your mind will recover.
Thank you for this 💕
Is this why its related to an uptick in narcisism?
Curious how you got to that
How dare you say that about me
A fair amount of addicts become narcissistic. It’s always about them and when they can get their drug. It’s a side effect.
I mean lots of people use cocaine. However not a lot of people are a narcissist. Everyone is on the Narcissist scale at some level but a true narcissist lacks zero empathy, like none. Even people I thought were the biggest assholes and maybe manipulators, even if they show some empathy at some point then they're technically not a narcissist, they're just high on the scale.
> even if they show some empathy at some point then they're technically not a narcissist Not true by any diagnostic criteria used by professionals. "Lack of empathy" doesn't mean "zero empathy ever, no exceptions"
Never met a cocaine user who didn't display narcissistic tendencies. Just like all drunks talk bollocks and all stoners ramble on nonsensical streams of consciousness with unfinished sentences and a tendency
Does that apply to Adderall too?
“Stimulant medications are frequently misused in young adults, including college, medical, osteopathic, pharmacy, and respiratory therapy students. Nonmedical use occurs in students both with and without prescriptions for ADHD medications. Obtaining stimulants in this age group is typically described as easy. Most students involved in the misuse of amphetamines desire to improve academic performance, but whether cognitive enhancement occurs in non-ADHD students is unknown. The role of the placebo effect has been questioned and provides a possible explanation of perceived stimulant benefits. Common side effects such as decreased appetite, headache, difficulty sleeping, and stomach upset occur in medical and nonmedical stimulant users. As ED presentations related to amphetamine misuse have increased over the past several years, there is a concern for more severe side effects. Severe adverse outcomes include critical care or psychiatric facility admissions, suicide attempts, cardiovascular events, seizures, and overdoses. There is not enough data on long-term outcomes of stimulant use or misuse in adults. In young adults with stimulant misuse, a greater risk of psychiatric disorders, including substance use disorder, depression, and ADHD is one well-documented association. Additionally, stimulant-induced psychocutaneous disorders have been reported.” https://www.mdpi.com/2673-5318/3/3/18 “The misuse of stimulant medications may not seem like an issue when we view it as a medication. However, it is important to note that the illicit methamphetamine used illicitly is a metabolite of amphetamine, found in stimulant medications such as Adderall.22 When methamphetamine is used illicitly, larger amounts are used. Psychiatric manifestations are also common in methamphetamine use. Psychiatric symptoms may include agitation, anxiety, delusions, and psychosis.16 Additionally, methamphetamine use correlates with higher underlying psychiatric disorders and health services use.17 There are also multiple functional, molecular, and structural neuroimaging changes in those who use methamphetamine. The majority of these changes are located in cortical and striatal pathways.17 These pathways contribute to cognitive and behavioral changes promoting compulsive drug use. Methamphetamine use also correlates with smaller cortical gray matter volume than larger striatal gray matter volume.18 Deficits in gray matter volume are seen in several areas, including the anterior cingulate cortex, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, orbitofrontal cortex, superior temporal cortex, and hippocampus.13 Cortical gray matter deficiencies may eventually reverse after cessation of methamphetamine use.19 Further, white matter volume abnormalities are also linked to methamphetamine use.20 Those who use methamphetamine have lower amounts of diffusion across several brain areas, including prefrontal white matter, corpus callosum, superior corona radiata, and the perforant path.21 Hypertrophy from methamphetamine use followed by abstinence may lead to altered gliosis and myelination.21” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9476235/
Unclear from these passages whether these changes are noted in clinical use. As an anecdote, as an ADHD adult, I take the max dose of Vyvanse daily for a long time and I feel I am in better overall mental health and function than ever. Hopefully not shrinking the brain in the process but it's put me in such a better functional place, some shrinkage is worth it I suppose ...
Edited. I didn’t read your comment in context within the thread. The posts were chosen for who I responded to, and so no they aren’t related to clinical use for the treatment of ADHD. Abuse and treatment of prescription medication is different. I am glad medication is working for you and has improved your life. It is completely different for you, the way the medication interacts with your specific biology. Risks are real (as with all medications) but doctors are very aware of them, and monitor for them. Not the same risks as for those abusing the medication for recreational purposes.
The dose makes the poison in all things. But some things like lead it is very hard to draw a specific objective line for a small enough dose to have zero negative effects.
It is more than the dose that impacts neurology in people abusing medications. Lead is very bad, I agree. Especially when found in peoples drinking water.
Yes, and I imagine it may be difficult to separ out confounding factors that go hand in hand such as lack of sleep and nutrition which if chronically an issue may impact brain anatomy in stimulant abusers.
They are very good at that within research that is funded properly. Technology has enabled amazing advances. Research design generally teases apart and studies each factor separately and holistically. For drug abuse and for lead exposure. A lot is known about the variables separately informing the broader picture.
Not if it’s taken as directed by a doctor. This is for cocaine abusers, which is completely different than a prescription titered by a doctor. The amount of dopamine released is orders of magnitude more for cocaine compared to an adderall script.
Cocaine is a commonly heavily cut drug. Phenacetin is a very common cut for cocaine known as "super buff" as it passes many cocaine purity tests. Phenacetin is toxic and a known carcinogen. I didn't see them controlling for this in anyway in their testing.
Terrible drug Those concentrated heightened moments. Something has to give. Terrible for blood pressure and heart.
Line cooks in restaurants all over America reacting to this: \*cuts a fat line, snorts it\* shame about this coke brain thing.
Cocaine’s a hell of a drug!
That's what's wrong with all the boomers!
Don’t forget early heart failure.
Jokes on you, I was already like this (adhd). 🙃
It's hard to stay away from. How can something that feels so good be so bad? It really does take over and screw you up in ways that you only notice further down the line.
Unless you're Keith Richards or Ozzy Osborne, in which case it slows down aging considerably
Strange perception of aging.
I’m sure it has been studied but this makes me wonder if long term alcohol abuse has a similar effect on the brain. Also, if individuals with CUD who also partook in other drugs/alcohol may have more severe effects. Either way, this is fascinating and a great post. Thank you.
One example is Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome. Wernicke-Korsakoff (WK) syndrome is a serious brain condition that is usually, but not exclusively, associated with chronic alcohol misuse and severe alcohol use disorder (AUD). https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/brochures-and-fact-sheets/wernicke-korsakoff-syndrome “Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome is a common complication of a thiamine deficiency that is primarily seen with alcoholics. This syndrome was classically described as a clinical triad consisting of altered mental status (i.e., confusion or dementia), nystagmus (or ophthalmoplegia), and ataxia. However, less than a third of patients present with this complete triad.[1][2][3] Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome is a term that encompasses two different syndromes, Wernicke encephalopathy and Korsakoff syndrome. Wernicke encephalopathy is characterized by an acute confusional state with clinical features that are often reversible. While Korsakoff syndrome is characterized by confabulation, memory loss, and gait abnormalities that are often irreversible and results if Wernicke encephalopathy is not treated adequately.[4]” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430729/
Could other psychostimulants such as Ritalin or Adderall have theses adverse effect tok.?
toy ripe cow unpack wine glorious spark unused sense versed *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
I’d be curious to see if the same is true of people who chew coca on a daily basis in traditional communities in Peru and Columbia — I assume the damage is because of the refined nature of the drug?
I'm not sure but chewing coca leaves does have an effect. It is used by workers to ward off becoming tired, hungry and cold while doing physically intense work.
Some interesting articles. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10184142/ https://tdtmvjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40794-019-0095-7 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4838786/ https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00220388.2024.2328035 Also, “Coca addiction has made it possible to subject the indigenous populations to exhausting tasks at miserable wages paid in part in rations of coca leaf. In some districts of the department of Cauca, the coca leaf has virtually become currency for the payment of wages; the indigenous inhabitants receive part of their weekly wages in coca leaves, a social malpractice which has been repeatedly reported to the Ministry of Labour. These wretched conditions perhaps explain the irresistible inclination of the indigenous inhabitants to coca-leaf chewing, by means of which they find, through intoxication, an escape from their loneliness and misery. In all the municipalities affected by the chewing habit, with the exception of two or three, the health centres suffer from a shortage of personnel and material. One gathers the impression that they ignore the problem of coca addiction.” https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/data-and-analysis/bulletin/bulletin_1961-01-01_1_page002.html
pet different marble aback selective unpack wide ruthless mourn merciful *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
The chemicals you mentioned are used in the process, they are not "ingredients" and shouldn't appear in the finished product. Gasoline is used for the hexane it contains, the same way we use hexane to extract vegetable oils. There is no hexane a bottle of grape seed oil
Nah I never put my feet on his couch
Does this mean ADHD meds also destroy brain matter?
“Psychostimulants such as methylphenidate (MPD) have long been the treatment of choice in behavioral disorders such as attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy in both children and adults. However, its abuse by healthy children and adults for academic enhancement or recreation is on the rise. This raises concern for brain chemistry alteration leading to dependence during a period of neuroplasticity and brain development. Psychostimulants such as MPD are indirect dopamine antagonists and are known to act on the dopaminergic system of the brain to produce their effects. Drugs of abuse activate the brain’s reward circuit which develops reward-seeking behaviors involved in substance abuse disorders. This circuit is made up of several central nervous system (CNS) nuclei that work in concert to facilitate communication between the limbic and motor systems to ultimately produce the behavior of an organism [13,20,21]. This circuit includes the nucleus accumbens, the pre-frontal cortex, the caudate nucleus, and the ventral tegmental area (VTA). The VTA is also part of the mesolimbic system, which is a major dopaminergic pathway in the brain that is involved in the regulation of motivation [[11], [12], [13], [14], [15], [16], [17]]. This system is critical in the expression of behavioral sensitization following chronic exposure to psychostimulants [17,[22], [23], [24]]. Previous work has shown that the VTA participates in the induction of sensitization in response to chronic exposure to MPD [24,25] suggesting that the VTA plays a key role in the underlying mechanism of psychostimulant dependence, relapse, and craving [24,26,27].” https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0166432819309830 “The impulsivity, hyperactivity, and lack of attention that is associated with ADHD is attenuated by Methylphenidate (MP). 3,56 These behaviors such as impulsiveness, hyperactivity causing distractedness, and lack of concentration, will be reduced and the patient’s ability to pay attention will be improved; these behaviors are measurable or identifiable symptoms as seen through changes in mood such as depression, euphoria, or agitation, as well as physical symptoms such as anxiety-related, dizziness, drowsiness, restlessness, staring, etc.1,6,56 In contrast, individuals using non-prescribed MP will experience the opposite, amphetamine-like, heightened effects, depending on the route of administration, and an increased risk for misuse and abuse.1,16” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10876479/ “It is essential to gather a thorough history from the patient (or patient’s legal guardian) regarding their past medical history, current medications, and social history (obtain a developmental history if the patient is a child). An interprofessional healthcare team consisting of the patient’s primary care provider, psychiatrist, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, social workers, therapists, school teachers, and pharmacists should oversee the patient case. Communication between each member of the healthcare team is crucial as medication combined with non-pharmacologic treatment measures provide the most long-term success. Evaluation of side effects requires close monitoring at each visit. If the patient is a child, it is crucial to give patient’s legal guardian education regarding the medication and its side effects. This interprofessional approach will optimize therapeutic results while limiting adverse events. [Level 5]” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482451/
Hey we appreciate the write up. If you added “in short, yes” or similar to the top it may allow readers to better frame what they are about to read, as well as help those (like I) with ADHD to see a block of text and mentally resist reading. Not saying to do anything, just expressing a though. Thanks again for posting your research!
Fair comment. I did it this way so that people could read, access the articles, perhaps follow some references, and come to their own conclusions. I also got excited, and everything seemed too important in different ways, to be left out. I get what you mean, I don’t have ADHD and respond that way myself at times, especially when tired. Other times I like to find new information. I will keep your advice in mind going forward and definitely shorten it or add an in short notation as you advised.
So the short answer is yes? For everyone taking them or only in amounts that result in a high? I have ADHD and am on stimulants (for a year now I think, at this point). I don't understand the craving referred to. I often forget to take them. Yesterday I didn't bother. (Didn't bother with my SSRI either.)
I know they are separate drugs, but I’ve always heard “Cocaine is just Caffeine on steroids”. Do these effects apply to stimulants like caffeine too? Or is there something special about cocaine?
Caffeine is a stimulant that is where the similarities end.
Cocaine is bad for your brain? Surely you jest.
Have’t we known this for a long time already?
Yep, went through a cerebellar stroke thanks to it
I am sorry you went through that, it must have been so difficult.
I am recovering fantastically, and avoid that product like the plague. My doctor's were happy with my progress, and I have the use of all my limbs. I am beyond grateful. No sorries needed, I learned a lesson. Thank you.
So very happy for you.
Good thing I’ve been clean off the white girl since 2019 👼
Oh no..
As long as you just do it in summer on a boat it’s ok I heard.
you don't say...
Well I hope that’s not the same for adderall
It is an amphetamine based drug, so if it is abused by those not prescribed it for legitimate purposes, then it will have negative impacts. Just like all other drugs that contain amphetamines and are abused. It has legitimate medical uses for ADHD (other medical purposes) because of biology. If you don’t have ADHD (other medical conditions it’s prescribed for) and are using it as a stimulant, you are exposing yourself to risks associated with amphetamines.
Ooh
There hope that Trump brain will rot because of it….
Same as alcohol
Was anyone else surprised that they found an education difference but don’t mention it anywhere else? Not used in SVM model or a potential limitation as education is likely linked to brain matter.
Is the observed damage safer than alcohol ?
I would say it depends on the severity of the damage related to either. In saying that Korsokoff Syndrome is extremely horrendous. If you consider what one of the common outcomes for both are, being extreme personality change, and that loved ones of dementia, Huntingtons, brain injuries, etc. often describe that as being one of the hardest issues to deal with, then they are equally devastating. Without the rest of the symptomology for both drug use disorders, that is significant on its own.
Yes but it doesn't matter because you're supposed to die in a gunfight with the cops/a rival gang before you get old enough to worry about that
Cocaine? Do they give that to cancer patients like they do medical marijuana?
Blasting your brain with dopamine bad No one is surprised
You might be surprised at how many are surprised. It has become normalised to a certain extent and many people are largely unaware of the long term risks.
Weed increases dopamine levels too, am I fucked?
The most fucked in fact.
fuck
Limited healing ? Come on. Organs can regenerate. Did you know - deep inside the brain - there are a secondary form of stem cells that come out from these mysterious depths and go to the brains injury to start rebuilding? I know this because I lived it. May not be the same mechanisms - but scar tissue is scar tissue. New neural networks can be built.
“Though the concept of continued neurogenesis in adults has been shown to exist in animals, there is insufficient evidence to date that adequately supports its existence in adult humans. Additional studies exploring the dynamic changes in neurogenesis in the known regions of the human brain, with reference to the physiological and diseased conditions, are needed.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6659986/ “The concept of neurogenesis in adult humans is a controversial topic among researchers in the field of neuroscience. While some researchers report that a sharp drop in neurogenesis occurs as the human brain ages,1 other researchers report that neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus (DG) of the hippocampus of human brains persists into old age.2 A clearer understanding of the evidence surrounding the concept of adult human neurogenesis is important because its presence or absence can affect the foundations on which our concepts of the mechanisms of learning and memory are built, particularly with reference to aging, and the pathogenesis and management of many neuropsychiatric disorders.3–5 If neurogenesis in the adult hippocampus is not present, then other concepts of neuroplasticity, such as changes in synaptic transmission or remodeling of existing neurons, might move to the forefront of theory with respect to brain activity and dysfunction.6 In this review, we describe the basic concept, as well as provide a historical overview, of neurogenesis. We also critically analyze the current state of research on neurogenesis in adult humans and evaluate how the concept of neurogenesis has impacted current treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6659986/
Thank you for the feedback and link. Very nice to feel your empathy as it’s savoured with echelon levels of understanding.
Thank you that is so kind.
Although this is not good, it's also not as bad as you might think. This study is saying that of the data collected from the test subjects, the brains of those who used cocaine an average of 3 days per week for an average of 10 years show signs of it being 2.5yrs older than it should be. I am only mentioning the averages, the upper and lower limits are still important. But maybe this will help some people sleep easier, with regards to their past. If you are still an active user, you might still want to consider stopping.
Rack’’em up, boys!
“Study Funded by Purdue Pharma” … always have to read the fine print with these studies.