World’s Most Dangerous Drug | National Geographic

methamphetamine travels through the

methamphetamine travels through the bloodstream to the nucleus accumbens a

bloodstream to the nucleus accumbens a

bloodstream to the nucleus accumbens a central reward center for the brain this

central reward center for the brain this

central reward center for the brain this is a release site for the

is a release site for the

is a release site for the neurotransmitter dopamine the chemical

neurotransmitter dopamine the chemical

neurotransmitter dopamine the chemical key to human pleasure dopamine is a

key to human pleasure dopamine is a

key to human pleasure dopamine is a natural chemical that causes us to feel

natural chemical that causes us to feel

natural chemical that causes us to feel good more dopamine means more pleasure

good more dopamine means more pleasure

good more dopamine means more pleasure it’s one of the ways the brain rewards

it’s one of the ways the brain rewards

it’s one of the ways the brain rewards behavior that helps us survive food and

behavior that helps us survive food and

behavior that helps us survive food and sex are two of the highest natural

sex are two of the highest natural

sex are two of the highest natural pleasures in mice they can trigger

pleasures in mice they can trigger

pleasures in mice they can trigger around 150 units of dopamine but drugs

around 150 units of dopamine but drugs

around 150 units of dopamine but drugs trick the brain to go even further meth

trick the brain to go even further meth

trick the brain to go even further meth actually sneaks into the neurons and

actually sneaks into the neurons and

actually sneaks into the neurons and forces more dopamine out one hit of meth

forces more dopamine out one hit of meth

forces more dopamine out one hit of meth may trigger more than 1,200 units of

may trigger more than 1,200 units of

may trigger more than 1,200 units of dopamine that’s a rush three and a half

dopamine that’s a rush three and a half

dopamine that’s a rush three and a half times more intense than cocaine and

times more intense than cocaine and

times more intense than cocaine and about six times what the body can do on

about six times what the body can do on

about six times what the body can do on its own and the meth high lasts much

its own and the meth high lasts much

its own and the meth high lasts much longer than other drugs up to 12 hours

longer than other drugs up to 12 hours

longer than other drugs up to 12 hours but the higher the climb the harder the

but the higher the climb the harder the

but the higher the climb the harder the fall

scientists at the Oregon Health and

scientists at the Oregon Health and Science University in Portland study the

Science University in Portland study the

Science University in Portland study the drug to understand its long-term effect

drug to understand its long-term effect

drug to understand its long-term effect on the brain and search for a way to

on the brain and search for a way to

on the brain and search for a way to stop the addiction among their subjects

stop the addiction among their subjects

stop the addiction among their subjects mice on meth in the lab researchers

mice on meth in the lab researchers

mice on meth in the lab researchers teach mice that by pressing on a bar

teach mice that by pressing on a bar

teach mice that by pressing on a bar they can get a dose of meth even for

they can get a dose of meth even for

they can get a dose of meth even for rodents the meth triggers pleasure so

rodents the meth triggers pleasure so

rodents the meth triggers pleasure so the mice quickly learned to seek the

the mice quickly learned to seek the

the mice quickly learned to seek the reward

reward

reward so this Mouse knows that by hitting that

so this Mouse knows that by hitting that

so this Mouse knows that by hitting that bar in the back that’s correct

bar in the back that’s correct

bar in the back that’s correct and yet yes you originally learned

and yet yes you originally learned

and yet yes you originally learned that’s right he originally learned that

that’s right he originally learned that

that’s right he originally learned that if he would press that bar in the back

if he would press that bar in the back

if he would press that bar in the back he would get a dose of methamphetamine

he would get a dose of methamphetamine

he would get a dose of methamphetamine then the meth is removed dr. Gregg mark

then the meth is removed dr. Gregg mark

then the meth is removed dr. Gregg mark explains what happens next we basically

explains what happens next we basically

explains what happens next we basically turned off the little pump that gave him

turned off the little pump that gave him

turned off the little pump that gave him methamphetamine and he slowly stopped

methamphetamine and he slowly stopped

methamphetamine and he slowly stopped taking the drug and now things like the

taking the drug and now things like the

taking the drug and now things like the stressful situation will make him go

stressful situation will make him go

stressful situation will make him go back and look for that drug again even

back and look for that drug again even

back and look for that drug again even though it’s not gonna give them anything

though it’s not gonna give them anything

though it’s not gonna give them anything and you can see he’s very dense isn’t

and you can see he’s very dense isn’t

and you can see he’s very dense isn’t that far yeah it’s very interesting that

that far yeah it’s very interesting that

that far yeah it’s very interesting that blur Wow look look at here he goes again

blur Wow look look at here he goes again

blur Wow look look at here he goes again even when they succeed in getting a hold

even when they succeed in getting a hold

even when they succeed in getting a hold of meth human addicts can feel just as

of meth human addicts can feel just as

of meth human addicts can feel just as trapped as the frantic Mouse they just

trapped as the frantic Mouse they just

trapped as the frantic Mouse they just keep chasing that first euphoric high

keep chasing that first euphoric high

keep chasing that first euphoric high but it keeps getting harder and harder

but it keeps getting harder and harder

but it keeps getting harder and harder to find in time addicts can experience

to find in time addicts can experience

to find in time addicts can experience pleasure at all with or without the drug

pleasure at all with or without the drug

pleasure at all with or without the drug their brains won’t let them studies

their brains won’t let them studies

their brains won’t let them studies reveal that meth actually damages the

reveal that meth actually damages the

reveal that meth actually damages the brain perhaps forever it’s the body’s

brain perhaps forever it’s the body’s

brain perhaps forever it’s the body’s way of fighting back against the drug

way of fighting back against the drug

way of fighting back against the drug that’s pushing out dopamine the brain

that’s pushing out dopamine the brain

that’s pushing out dopamine the brain shuts the overloaded neurons down meth

shuts the overloaded neurons down meth

shuts the overloaded neurons down meth users go from having too much dopamine

users go from having too much dopamine

users go from having too much dopamine to having too little