Designed by Ly Ngo
The fact that cocaine can do damage to your body isn't exactly breaking news, but new studies unveiled some shocking revelations about the drug. Researchers at UC San Francisco revealed today that they discovered cocaine can have lasting results on your body after just one use. Namely, the white powder can rewire your brain and drastically affect decision-making, even after you come down from your high.
It's been proven that long-term use of cocaine causes serious side effects, but this latest study is bringing new urgency to the drug. Researchers studied the frontal lobe (the area responsible for memory, among other things) using live mice, and found that after one dose, the brain rewires itself to seek out more cocaine. In turn, that can cause the search for drugs to overcome other thoughts in users — thus explaining why repeat offenders become obsessed with their next high.
However, the news isn't all bad. As we age the brain can grow, and becomes rewired by all of our daily experiences — which, in time, can override the drug exposure. Of course, this isn't a free pass to snort up; it simply means that all hope of recovery isn't lost. In the end, you'll have to use your own judgment, just like before. (Huffington Post)