Misc alcohol and opioid pharmacodynamics

[StartedHydro]

i sort of get the same dopamine rush for a bit from it as I do opiates but I also get the less than diserable effects like stumbling, drowiness, slurred speech as where opiates I just feel good, clean, refreshed.

Do Alch and opiates hit the same reward channels but alchy hits the perip CNS systems, to?

*mod edit* I changed the title for clarity. I hope that's ok, change it if not

 

[Cane2theLeft]

Alcohol works primarily on GABA receptors while opioids primarily work on the Mu opioid receptors but basically all drugs of abuse affect the nucleus accumbens, ventral tegmental area and dopaminergic pathways and this activity is what produces the euphoria.

 

[Georgie25]

Pretty sure opiates hit your mu-opiate receptors in the brain and alcohol effects the dopamine part, but not 100% sure.

 

[Captain.Heroin]

Cane is correct, alcohol also has effects on other brain neurotransmitters but I am pretty sure it is unrelated to the mu-opioid receptor.

At high doses, NMDA receptor antagonist effects attribute for some of the more intense effects (extreme dizziness, dissociation, blacking out, "the spins").

GABA would be its main effects though which are apparent at any dose (including low ones) - like Cane mentioned.

 

[rollingstoned!]

Alcohol releases endorphins which bind to opiate receptors, although in high doses alcohol does not release endorphines. How it releases endorphins? Scientists are still trying to figure this out.

 

[Cane2theLeft]

^good addition.

Here is an article explaining the alcohol/beta-endorphin connection.

 

[fryingsquirrel]

Tonight is the first time I've drank in several years (hangovers kill me), and while this is purely subjective I feel like there is some fairly substantial dopamine activity going on in addition to the gaba stuff. This is alot more euphoric than say benzos, though I'll pay for it in the morning.

 

[Cane2theLeft]

^any drug that is abused affects dopamine in some way whether directly or indirectly... As do other enjoyable activities like sex, video games, running, shopping for some, etc etc etc

For more information read about the ventral tegmental area, the nucleus accumbens and the mesolimbic pathway that connects the two. These areas of the brain mediate the reward system that make drugs and activities enjoyable.