Causes of Addiction: What in the Human Brain Do Addictive Substances Like Nicotine React With?
Question by ???AEDAN???: What in the human brain do addictive substances like nicotine react with?
Best answer:
Answer by evalin24
nicotine becomes addictive because it replaces neurotransmitter substances in the nerve synapses (the gap between two nerves which a nervous impulse is passed between) in the receptor sites. these receptor sites open up ion channels in the synapse membranes which allow charged ions e.g. Na+ to diffuse down the concentration gradient creating an action potential (a build up of electrical charge which can then be passed to the next synapse).
nicotine does not release from these receptor molecules as quickly as natual neurotransmitters and so cause increased diffusion of Na+ and more action potentials and more nervous transmission. the body therfore produces more receptor molecules to deal with the increase in neurotransmitters (in this case nicotine molecule, competing with teh natural neurotransmitters) and so when nicotine is not availible we have more receptor sites than neurotransmitters, causing a craving for nicotine.
i think this is right as it does occur in the nerve synapses of the brain.
but then you may this its just waffle..
hope it helps
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