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Smoking/ Addictions

I am convinced that a lot of substance"abuse" is actually self-medication of the symptoms of chronic neurological impairment caused by orexin dysfunction. 

• The locus coeruleus is a brain structure that plays an important role in drug addiction.

• The locus coeruleus is regulated by the orexin system.

The reason detox doesn't work is it doesn't address the underlying discomfort.   Quitting drinking doesn't soothe the vagus nerve.   The irritation remains.

Same with cigarettes.   Quitting smoking does nothing to alleviate the underlying cognitive deficits.

Nicotine

Nicotine is a strong nervous system stimulant which counteracts many of the cognitive deficits of orexin depletion.

• Nicotine increases the phosphorylation of synapsin I

• Nicotine activates orexin cells, and increases expression of orexin and its receptors.

• Similar to nicotine, infusions of orexin into the prefrontal cortex significantly improved accuracy under high attentional demand without effects on other performance measures. We show for the first time that orexin can improve attentional processes relevant to executive functions of the prefrontal cortex.

Smoking is highly associated with orexin mediated processes.

• Women with eating disorders reported higher rates of smoking and greater nicotine dependence than controls. 

• Physical exercise may help reduce cigarette cravings.

Smoking is highly associated with the affective disorders,

• Nicotine abstinence reduced latency to rapid eye movement sleep and increased Hamilton Depression scores, suggesting that chronic smokers have depressive symptoms that may be controlled by nicotine administration.  

• Nicotine-dependent smoking was significantly associated with various substance use disorders, affective disorders and anxiety disorders.

• Current tobacco use was strongly associated with abuse/dependence upon alcohol, cannabis, and other substances, and with higher rates of anxiety and affective disorders.

Verenicline

 Chantix (varenicline), a drug to help people stop smoking is suspected in various adverse drug event reports of causing a wide spectrum of  injuries, including serious accidents and falls, potentially lethal cardiac rhythm disturbances, severe skin reactions, acute myocardial infarction, seizures, diabetes, psychosis, aggression and suicide.

Smoking Rant

Marijuana

I could go on forever about the medical uses of marijuana.  There are tons of studies showing it has beneficial effects on many of the symptoms I have mentioned:   pain, hunger, depression, etc.  

• The cannabinoid receptor 1 interacts with orexin.

• Cannabinoid and orexin systems share a common mechanism in food intake.

(My personal research has shown that marijuana alleviates involuntary crying within minutes.)

Amphetemines 

Are common, effective therapies for narcolepsy and ADD.  

• "People with ADHD are at greater risk of taking drugs, not just because they want to get 'high,' but in their case, it may actually make them feel better."

• Amphetemines increase the phosphorylation of synapsin.

Personally, I believe the meth epidemic is caused by the FDA's insistence on the inavailability of less destructive stimulant options.

Opiates

Orexin acts as a pain reliever in the body and low levels of orexin increase pain sensitivity.

• The orexin system may play a role in modulation of sensory input, particularly related to pain perception and autonomic tone.

• Another study suggests that persistent pain and stress activate orexin neurons, which act to inhibit pain transmission. 

• Stimulation of the lateral hypothalamus in the region of orexin neurons produces pain analgesia.

• The pain relief value of orexin was shown to be analagous to morphine.

Discussion

It seems to me that bread may cause more brain damage than these drugs do.

Think about that...

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