Heroin and its Effects on the Brain

Abstract

As per the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) reports, heroin is a Schedule I drug. Heroin causes addiction to the brain like any other addictive substance. Heroin addiction has both long-term and short-term effects on the body. The brain has natural opioid receptors. Heroin is a synthetic opioid. When taken regularly, the brain stops making its own natural opioids. This affects the pain/reward system and causes withdrawal symptoms in patients. Heroin addiction damages the brain's reward system and breathing. Less breathing causes less oxygen supply to the brain. There are reports that state that dementia-like situation is created in the brain due to heroin abuse. Heroin lipophilicity allows the entry of it into the Blood Brain Barrier. μ-opioid receptors (MOR), causing the addictive effects of the heroin in the brain. Dementia symptoms, memory issues, and mental health changes like depression or anxiety are the symptoms that are caused by heroin abuse. Both individual and environmental factors influence a person's ability to abuse heroinanopioid which provides intense feelings of pleasure.