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Nearly 15% of all men and 30% of all women admit to a craving for chocolate. Over 300 substances have been identified in chocolate. Some of these, including caffeine and theobromine (another, less powerful stimulant) could actually cause dependency effects. But the amounts of these substances in chocolate are too small to really have any effect. The same goes for phenylethylamine, a substance related to a family of stimulants called amphetamines. For example, chocolate contains less phenylethylamine than goat cheese. Anandamide, a neurotransmitter produced naturally by the brain, has also been isolated in chocolate. The neural receptors for anandamide are the same ones to which THC, the main active ingredient in cannabis, binds. The anandamide in chocolate might therefore contribute to the feeling of well-being reported by “chocoholics” (though you would have to eat well over 30 kilos of chocolate to experience effects comparable to one dose of cannabis!). Be that as it may, many scientists agree that dependency on chocolate could simply be due to its taste, which causes a sensation of intense pleasure that people want to repeat.
Dopamine appeared very early in the course of evolution and is involved in many functions that are essential for survival of the organism, such as motricity, attentiveness, motivation, learning, and memorization. But most of all, dopamine is a key element in identifying natural rewards for the organism. These natural stimuli such as food and water cause individuals to engage in approach behaviours. Dopamine is also involved in unconscious memorization of signs associated with these rewards. It has now been established that all substances that trigger dependencies in human beings increase the release of a neuromediator, dopamine, in a specific area of the brain: the nucleus accumbens. But not all drugs increase dopamine levels in the brain in the same way.
Click on the names of each of the following drugs to read about how they work and what effects they have. Alcohol ----- Opiates (heroin, morphine, etc.) ----- Cocaïne ----- Nicotine Caffeine ----- Amphetamines ----- Cannabis ----- Ecstasy ----- Benzodiazepines
What are natural opiate like neurotransmitters linked to pain control called?Endorphins are the body's endogenous opiates. When endorphin activity is stimulated – either naturally or by chemical means – individuals experience relief of pain and sensations of improved well-being.
What chemicals in the brain are linked to pain control and pleasure?” It appears from our study that dopamine acts as an interface between stress, pain and emotions, or between physical and emotional events, and that it's activated with both positive and negative stimuli,” says senior author Jon-Kar Zubieta, M.D., Ph.
What neurotransmitter is involved in pain suppression and pleasurable feelings?Endorphins: These neurotransmitters than inhibit the transmission of pain signals and promote feelings of euphoria. These chemical messengers are produced naturally by the body in response to pain, but they can also be triggered by other activities such as aerobic exercise.
Which of the following is an opiate that elevates mood and eases pain?The morphine, an opiate drug that elevates mood and eases pain, bound to receptors in areas linked with mood and pain sensations.
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Opiate-like neurotransmitters linked to pain control and to feelings of pleasure are known as
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