Can someone explain how exactly inhalants get you high?

[morphine-dreams]

First of all, I do NOT plan on using inhalants, EVER. So please don't lecture me on that. I do a lot of different drugs, and inhalants will never be included. I'm just curious.

With that out of the way, can someone please tell me exactly how inhalants cause someone to feel high? I've only seen vague answers, like, "by causing brain damage". I understand that, but what's the exact mechanism, and does it vary depending on the inhalant or do all volatile solvents affect the brain the same way? I basically just want a scientific explanation. Thanks!

 

[serotonin2A]

First of all, I do NOT plan on using inhalants, EVER. So please don't lecture me on that. I do a lot of different drugs, and inhalants will never be included. I'm just curious.

With that out of the way, can someone please tell me exactly how inhalants cause someone to feel high? I've only seen vague answers, like, "by causing brain damage". I understand that, but what's the exact mechanism, and does it vary depending on the inhalant or do all volatile solvents affect the brain the same way? I basically just want a scientific explanation. Thanks!

In general, most inhalents work by altering the activity of ligand- or voltage-gated ion-channels, which produces effects on neuronal excitability. Such effects typically occur due to physical blockade of the channel, stabilization of particular conformations, or perturbation of the membrane environment.

 

[Limpet_Chicken]

Ionotropic glutamate receptors are another primary target. AMPA and kainate especially it seems, with the more powerfully general anaesthetic types. GABAa, presumably, going from the fact that fluorothyl is a GABAa antagonist/inverse agonist convulsant gas/volatile is a logical target. Wouldn't touch the rest of them, chloroform included, but some of the volatile anaesthetics used in surgery are very pleasant, particularly sevoflurane, and I enjoy diethyl ether from time to time. Typically when already so saturated from working with the stuff theres not really anything to lose haha

 

[serotonin2A]

^Just FYI, AMPA and GABA-A receptors are ligand-gated ion-channels. Those are some of the interactions I was talking about.

 

[Skorpio]

Here is a great wikipedia article that demonstrates how inhalants change ion channels. It is all based on the inhalants dissolving into the cell membrane and altering fluidity, which changes the activity of the ion channels.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theories_of_general_anaesthetic_action