How Do Drugs Affect the Human Brain?
The brain is made up of a series of nerve cells called neurons. Neurons are responsible for controlling cognition, muscle movement, sensory information and emotions. Neurons are able to communicate with each other using small junctions called synapses. Sometimes thousands of neurons will connect at one synapse. When one neuron is activated, it releases special chemicals into the synapse called neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters travel through the synapse and bind to special proteins on the other neurons called receptors. When a neurotransmitter binds to its receptor, it can either activate or block the other neurons from sending their own signals. The effect of the neurotransmitter depends on its identity and the type of receptor to which it binds; the same neurotransmitter can have different effects on different neurons depending on the receptors present.
