Mixing Energy Drinks and Alcohol May Affect Adolescent Brains Like Cocaine

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This article is about the relationship of mixing energy drinks and alcohol on mice. According to study, when the mice were given energy drinks and alcohol together they would have a similar effect to mice who were given cocaine. The researchers also detected increased levels of ΔFosB, which is marker of long-term changes in neurochemistry. The mice that were exposed to caffeinated alcohol during adolescence were less sensitive to the effects of cocaine. Which means a mouse would use more cocaine to get the same feeling as a control mouse. 

 I found this article interesting since many adolescents and young adults tend to drink energy drinks. In class we learned about addiction and conditioned/ learn tolerance. When the article described how a mouse that was exposed to caffeinated alcohol would need more cocaine then a control mouse, it reminded me of conditioned tolerance.  

http://neurosciencenews.com/alcohol-energ-drink-neurodevelopment-5337/

Comments

  1. UnknownNovember 29, 2016 at 1:05 AM

    This article is relevant today because being in college, I see people actually mix energy drinks and alcohol together and I never really knew the reasoning behind it. I thought it was because alcohol is a depressant and can make people tired so they would drink energy drinks for a pick me up but to find out that it can cause similar effects to those who take cocaine is scary. Alcohol and energy drinks can be easily obtained, I fear the dangers of those who are uninformed of this. I would like to compare the withdrawal symptoms of these rats to see if there are any differences.

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