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| One example of drug interference: the effects of cocaine. | ||
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Drugs can interfere with just about every step in the work of neurotransmitters. Remember that each receptor is designed to bind only a certain neurotransmitter. A drug of abuse that is structurally similar to a neurotransmitter could be a "key" that fits into a receptor's "lock." In this way drugs can damage your intellectual property by blocking nerve impulses, preventing neurotransmitters from getting where they are supposed to be, or producing too many or too little neurotransmitters. As a result, neurons may be overstimmulated or not stimulated at all, crippling the nervous system's ability to carry out its functions. |
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