As an agent of the DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency), you have been given an assignment by the commissioner to get into the head of an illegal drug maker. If an illegal drug maker was to create a drug that would be abused by many people, which neurotransmitters would be affected by the drug? How would those neurotransmitters be affected? What will be the potential risks for both psychological and physical dependence? In your report to the DEA, be sure to justify your answer.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Dear Commissioner,I believe we must be on the alert for a drug that will affect GABA and endorphin receptors. The reuptake of these two neurotransmitters will be blocked, so their effect will be increased. An increase in endorphins in the synapse will lead to feelings of pleasure, and the increase of GABA will allow for relaxation and a lowering of inhibitions. This combination of feeling good, relaxed, and uninhibited should be attractive to potential drug users. Users would get the drug into their systems by injecting it since it has been noted that when a drug causes quick changes in a neurotransmitter (like how crack affects dopamine), the drug will be more addictive. And as is the case with known drugs that affect endorphins (morphine) and GABA (alcohol), we can expect a high risk for both physical and psychological dependence.