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Is cocaine as safe for neurons as methylphenidate?

Ghaenrynquau

Greenlighter
Joined
Aug 8, 2016
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I understand that their mechanism of action in the neurons is the same (reuptake inhibitors, not releasers of dopamine), so doesn't cocaine have neurotoxicity like methylphenidate doesn't?

Thank you!
 
Cocaine and methylphenidate are thought to likely be inverse agonists at DAT, meaning they will still be increasing dopamine in the synaptic cleft a fair bit which generates oxidative stress (not good for neurons). Stimulantion/stress can also be bad for brain cells, and sleep deprivation can certainly be unhelpful for brain health as well. So I certainly wouldn't consider either one safe in terms of the brain if abused.

Drugs of abuse seem to be able to exert deleterious effects on the brain that may have more to do with the pathology of addiction than a direct neurotoxic effect of the drugs, see for example orbitofrontal cortex atrophy/dysfunction in ex-cocaine users.

Stay safe,
CY
 
Drugs of abuse seem to be able to exert deleterious effects on the brain that may have more to do with the pathology of addiction than a direct neurotoxic effect of the drugs, see for example orbitofrontal cortex atrophy/dysfunction in ex-cocaine users.

Stay safe,
CY

Ditto - Levamisole is still prevalent AFAIK and now cocaine + fentanyl = 'magic'. A fellow researcher saw this trend in the US 2 years ago. Makes sense. Fentanyl is so cheap that rather having punters who are using 6 bags and a couple of rocks are now just doing 8 rocks; the opioid is partly for the buzz but mostly to turn the opioid dependent into cocaine fiends.... a new level of evil we haven't seen before.
 
Cocaine and methylphenidate are thought to likely be inverse agonists at DAT, meaning they will still be increasing dopamine in the synaptic cleft a fair bit which generates oxidative stress (not good for neurons). Stimulantion/stress can also be bad for brain cells, and sleep deprivation can certainly be unhelpful for brain health as well. So I certainly wouldn't consider either one safe in terms of the brain if abused.

Drugs of abuse seem to be able to exert deleterious effects on the brain that may have more to do with the pathology of addiction than a direct neurotoxic effect of the drugs, see for example orbitofrontal cortex atrophy/dysfunction in ex-cocaine users.

Stay safe,
CY
But in comparison to amphetamine and methamphetamine, also MDMA? These are directly neurotoxic, aren't they?
 
My guess would be that cocaine is less neurotoxic than traditional amphetamines/substituted amphetamines because the latter can have direct neurotoxic effects, in addition to e.g. dopamine auto-oxidation et cetera related neurotoxicity.

Traditional amphetamines can have metabolites that, when inside neurons, injure said neurons. I'm not sure whether or not cocaine has neurotoxic metabolites, or enters the neurons in the same capacity as e.g. METH/MDMA.
 
I'm sure that the wide difference in potency makes most of the difference.

pure cocaine hcl isnt a weak poetncy substance by any means 20 -30mg is enough with pure stuff,the only difference is the need to redose
 
If you take Ritalin (even illegally), you pretty much know Ritalin is all you're taking due to pill markings (perhaps with rare cases of knock off street versions)..... but generally speaking it's pure. However, coke is often cut with other things like levisiamole. This is highly damaging to the brain with repeated use. However, if it were pure, it may be similar safety wise..... though pure cocaine is rare.
 
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