Mood Fluctuation and Psychobiological Instability: The Same Core Functions Are Disrupted by Novel Psychoactive Substances and Established Recreational Drugs
Brain Sciences March 13, 2018 Andrew Parrott 13 citations
All psychoactive drugs, both older (cocaine, nicotine, cannabis) and newer (MDMA, mephedrone, spice), damage well-being through similar psychobiological mechanisms. They disrupt core functions such as mood regulation, causing users to feel better on-drug and worse off-drug, with the strength of these mood fluctuations linked to addiction potential. Cyclical changes also affect information processing, psychomotor speed, homeostatic balance, HPA axis, sleep, brain rhythms, and neurocognition, increasing psychiatric vulnerability.