I want at least 200 word response to this. its from my psychology course. just s

Question

I want at least 200 word response to this. its from my psychology course. just small discussion.

Long-term cocaine user is confronted by his former college roommate, who is shocked to observe some significant changes in his old friend. Instead of being outgoing and curious, his friend seems sullen and suspicious. The roommate suggests the addict seek help for his addiction. During the course of the conversation, the addict uncharacteristically becomes very suspicious and aggressive, accusing his friend of wanting him out of the way so that he can take all his money. Later that evening, the addict takes a large amount of cocaine and begins to have difficulty breathing. Although the roommate calls an ambulance, the addict continues in respiratory distress and starts having convulsions. He dies a short time later of cardiac arrest

Given what you understand about the functions of the brain, list several brain areas that could be involved in the behaviors/experiences of the cocaine addict. Make sure you are explicit about which brain areas are responsible for which behaviors.

Explanation / Answer

Much of the brain's physiological task involves receiving information from the rest of the body, interpreting that information, and then guiding the body's response to it. Types of input the brain interprets include odors, light, sounds, and pain. The brain also helps perform vital operations such as breathing, maintaining blood pressure, and releasing hormones (chemical signals that control certain cells and organs). The brain is divided into sections. These sections include the cerebrum, the cerebellum, the diencephalon, and the brainstem.

Each of these parts is responsible for certain portions of the brain's overall job. The larger parts are, in turn, divided into smaller areas that handle smaller portions of the work. Different areas often share responsibility for the same task. The cerebrum is the largest part of the brain. It is responsible for memory, speech, the senses, emotional response, and more. It is divided into several sections called lobes. These lobes are referred to as the frontal, temporal, parietal, and occipital; each handles a specific segment of the cerebrum's jobs. The cerebellum is below and behind the cerebrum and is attached to the brain stem. It controls motor function, the body's ability to balance, and its ability to interpret information sent to the brain by the eyes, ears, and other sensory organs. The functions the brain stem governs include respiration, blood pressure, some reflexes, and the changes that happen in the body during what is called the “fight or flight” response. The brain stem is also divided into several distinct sections: the midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata. The diencephalon is inside the cerebrum above the brain stem. Its tasks include sensory function, food intake control, and the body's sleep cycle.

Cocain affected area of brain: Cocaine produces its psychoactive and addictive effects primarily by acting on the brain’s limbic system, a set of interconnected regions that regulate pleasure and motivation. An initial, short-term effect—a buildup of the neurochemical dopamine—gives rise to euphoria and a desire to take the drug again. One particular part of the limbic system, the nucleus accumbens (NAc), seems to be the most important site of the cocaine high. When stimulated by dopamine, cells in the NAc produce feelings of pleasure and satisfaction. The limbic system also includes important memory centers, located in regions called the hippocampus and amygdala. When someone experiences a cocaine high, these regions imprint memories of the intense pleasure as well as the people, places, and things associated with the drug. A third limbic region, the frontal cortex, is where the brain integrates information and weighs different courses of action. The frontal cortex acts as a brake on the other regions of the limbic system when we decide to forgo a pleasure in order to avoid its negative consequences. Activity here can help a nonaddicted person heed the disastrous prognosis of continued cocaine abuse and suppress drug-taking urges emanating from the NAc, hippocampus, and amygdala. Once someone becomes addicted, however, the frontal cortex becomes impaired and less likely to prevail over the urges.

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