ms637+log

ms637

10/8/2009 Was thinking about doing my project on a chemotherapy drug but there isn't that much literature about it on the internet which is not repetitive. Gemzar is the chemotherapy drug that I was interested in.

10/22/2009 Since I can't really find much information on the Gemzar to meet the 20 sources requirement, I think I'm changing my topic to Cocaine and it's affects.

11/5/2009 Catecholamine neurotransmitters- Epinephrine, Norepinephrine and Dopamine- are made by the body from tyrosine, which is found in food. Tyrosine is converted into L-Dopa which is in turn converted into Dopamine which it utilized by dopaminergic neurons. Norepinephrine is created from some Dopamine, and Epinephrine is created from Norepinephrine. These catecholamines are stored in vesicles in the termine bouton. Here they are protected from two enzymes which destroy, one of which is MAO (monoamine oxidase.) These neurotransmitters are released into the cleft when an action potential arrives. After they diffuse across the synapse and interact with receptor sites, they are reabsorbed into the terminal bouton, where they are stored again in vesicles and recycled. The mechanism explains it role in addiction because the brain normally makes new neurotransmitter receiving structures the process of turning new experiences into learning. It is basically a function of experience. Since there are less stimuli to trigger there is upregulation. The increased number of receptors means that there is tolerance. There then is an increased sensitivity (addiction), an increased degradation of cell (tolerance) and an increased probability of receptors triggering a response. Cocaine accelerates this process, which may be the reason why people are addicted. After chronic cocaine abuse, dopamine starts up in the reward system when the abuser sees something reminding her/her of the drug.

Drugs produce effects that make people want to continue to use them and cause life-long health problems. First there are pleasurable feelings, then dependence and addiction caused by the disruption of the dopamine neurotransmitter system. Cocaine sniffing can cause inflammation and ulcers of the mucous membranes in the nose. There can also be openings in the septum of the nose. The discomfort in the nose will be relieved by sniffing more cocaine (local anesthetic), causing for the abuser to sniff more cocaine. The more cocaine sniffed means the more money spent (financially unstable) and the deterioration of the mental health as well as physical health.
 * According to some studies, casual cocaine abuse to addiction starts with the abuser’s very first doses.

I think I need to narrow my topic to something, but I still don't know what. I have a bunch of sources and information on the affects and how it works, would that be too broad of a topic?

11/5/2009 **__//[Revised]//__** [|Cocaine's Effects on Brain Metabolism and its Effects] Alcohoism Intramural Research Program at the National Institutes of Health The Office of Biological and Environmental Research within the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Science
 * [if this is supposed to be your assignment on summarizing an article there should be 9 points for 9 paragraphs partial marks JCB]**
 * The basic mechanism of action of Cocaine is the blockage of the reuptake of Dopamine (stimulant) and Norepinephrine so that the transmitter stays in the cleft longer.
 * Cocaine effects the way the brain metaboliazes, according to a new study using mice who do not have a dopamine center
 * Scientists experimentally tested this theory by tagging glucose in the brain of mice and observing the before and after affects of the mice.
 * Positron Emission Tomography was used to compare the brain metabolism in mice with and without a dopamine-trosporter. This was done for an experiment where one set of mice were given cocaine and the other was given salt water (saline) instead.
 * In the mice that did not have dopamine transporters, there be a greater amount of brain metabolism the in mice with the transporter. Since a dopamine transporter is not present, that means that there is a greater amount of dopamine present, which could be linked to the amount of glucose in the brain where important functions are processed.
 * After the cocaine was given to mice, brain matter decreased significantly in mice who actually had a dopamine center.
 * The scientists have a theory that due to the fact that there is more then required amounts of dopamine in the brain, it could be linkied to ADHD.
 * After the experiment was conducted, it was found that brain metabolism in both groups of mice decreased, but mostly in the normal mice. They believe that it has something to do with cocaine blocking the dopamine transporters.
 * In the DAT knockout mice, they noticed that brain metabolism also decreased in the thalamus and said that it was due to the effects of cocaine on the neurotransmitter.
 * Cocaine can also directly prevent the release of additional dopamine into the synapses because it blocks the transporters because the metabolism of the brain has decreased significantly.
 * After observing the effects of Cocaine in mice, researches found that the cocaine interacts with the cerebellum and thalamus
 * Funding for this research: The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse

Acid and peptic ulcer disease Acid used to be the culprit in PUD, now H.pylori is suspected to be the cause, yet you still shouldn’t eat acidic food….PUD is seen in people with greater than/normal/less than normal levels of acid in the stomach…why is that, research is still going on with this topic [|wikipedia] [|google scholars]

Topiramate [|Wiley] [|Wikipedia-Topiramate] [|FAQ] [|pubmed] [|Topamax-epilepsy] [|Topamax (Sprinkles)] [|Epileptic Seizures and Epilepsy] [|ChemSpider- Topiramate] [|Wikipedia- epilepsy]