IMAGES OF ALCOHOL
AND DRUG ABUSE
Brain Pollution and the Real
Reason You Shouldn't Use

Abstracts

Studying the effects of drugs and alcohol on the brain has clearly been one of the most informative and fascinating parts of my work. I had a sense growing up that drugs and alcohol weren't helpful to my overall health. I might add, this notion was helped along by getting drunk on a six pack of Michelob and half a bottle of champagne when I was sixteen years old - I was sick for three days. After that, I've been lucky enough to stay away from drugs and alcohol. After doing this work there's no way you could get me to do marijuana, heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, LSD, PCP, inhalants or any more than a glass or two of wine or beer. These substances damage the patterns in your brain, and without your brain you are not you.

There is really quite a bit of scientific literature on the physiological effects of drugs and alcohol on the brain. SPECT has demonstrated a number of abnormalities in substance abusers in brain areas known to be involved in behavior, such as the frontal and temporal lobes. There are some SPECT similarities and differences between the damage we see caused by the different substances of abuse. I'll discuss the differences in drug abuse patterns below. There tends to be several similarities seen among classes of abused drugs. The most common similarity among drug and alcohol abusers is that the brain has an overall toxic look to it. In general, the SPECT studies look less active, more shriveled, and overall less healthy. A "scalloping effect" is common amongst drug abusing brains. Normal brain patterns show smooth activity across the cortical surface. Scalloping is a wavy, rough sea-like look on the brain's surface. I also see this pattern in patients who have been exposed to toxic fumes or oxygen deprivation. My research assistant says that the drug brains she has seen look like someone poured acid on the brain.

Not a pretty sight.

SPECT can be helpful in evaluating the effects of drugs and alcohol on the brain. On 3D surface images several substances of abuse appear to show consistent patterns. For example,

cocaine and methamphetamine abuse appear as multiple small holes across the cortical surface;

heroin abuse appears as marked decreased activity across the whole cortical surface;

heavy marijuana abuse shows decreased activity in the temporal lobes bilaterally and

heavy alcohol abuse shows marked decreased activity throughout the brain.

These findings tend to improve with abstinence, although long term use has been associated with continued SPECT deficits seen years after abstinence. SPECT can be helpful in several ways in drug and alcohol abuse. First, 3D surface SPECT images of drug and alcohol abusers can be used in drug prevention education. Second, SPECT studies can help break though the denial that often accompanies substance abuse. When one is faced with their own abnormal cerebral perfusion it is hard to remain in denial. Third, SPECT may help evaluate if there is an underlying neuropsychiatric condition that needs treatment.

Marijuana

In our experience, marijuana usage typically causes decreased activity in the posterior temporal lobes bilaterally. The damage can be mild or severe, depending on how long a person used, how much use occurred, what other substances were used (nicotine is a powerful vasoconstrictor) and how vulnerable a particular brain is. For more information see Dr. Amen's article High Resolution Brain SPECT Imaging in Marijuana Smokers with AD/HD, Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, Volume 30, No. 2 April-June 1998. Pgs 1-13.

18 y/o - 3 year history of 4 x week use underside surface view decreased pfc and temporal lobe activity

16 y/o -- 2 year history of daily abuse underside surface view prefrontal and temporal lobe activity

38 y/o -- 12 years of daily use underside surface view decreased pfc and temporal lobe activity

28 y/o -- 10 years of mostly weekend use underside surface view decreased pfc and temporal lobe activity

Off and On Marijuana First picture is off THC, second picture is on THC

This 57-year-old physician had abused marijuana for 30 years. We performed this SPECT series because he had been unable to stop using without feeling very angry, irritable, agitated and anxious.

The first study (those images in the right column) was performed after he came to the clinic intoxicated from 3 straight days of heavy usage. The second study (those images in the left column) was performed after he abstained from marijuana usage for 1 month.

Notice the study without marijuana shows decreased temporal lobe activity (likely from the chronic marijuana usage), but also patchy increased uptake, especially increased activity in the deep left temporal lobe (often associated with anger, irritability and anxiety). The study with heavy marijuana usage shows marked overall decreased activity, especially in the prefrontal cortex and temporal lobes (associated with attention, memory and motivational problems) but also there is a decrease in the overactive areas noted in the "off marijuana" study.

This scan series argues for the possibility of "self-medication," but unfortunately this medication has the side effect of causing the potential for long term damage to his brain

***************

Normal view top down surface view full, symmetrical activity

39 y/o -- 25 yrs of frequent heroin use front on surface view marked overall decreased activity

40 y/o, 7 yrs on methadone heroin 10 yrs prior top down surface view marked decreased overall activity

24 y/o -- 2 yr hx of frequent cocaine use top down surface view multiple holes across cortical surface

28 y/o - 8 yrs heavy meth use front on surface view marked overall decreased activity

Alcohol

Hope for Healing Alcohol, Cocaine & Meth On and Off Drugs

First pix is view during substance abuse, second is a view after a year drug and alcohol free

notice the overall holes and shriveled appearance during abuse and marked improvement with abstinence

Heavy Nicotine & Caffeine Abuse 45 y/o -- 27 year history of heavy use 3 packs of cigarettes and 3 pots of coffee daily


-- Cherri (jessam6@home.com), September 01, 2001

Answers

Even coffee and cigarettes are damaging, perhaps the Mormans are right about consuming anything that can be addictive.

-- Cherri (jessam6@home.com), September 01, 2001.

Pretty pictures. But what do they mean? Analysis? When I was smoking & drinking mass quantities my brain looked ugly. Ok. Got it. Funny, no one seemed to notice at the time. I do not recall a single snide remark referring to the shriveled nature of my lobes. Not a one "My, what a lovely scalloped frontal lobe you have, Rich". I swear.

What do the lobes of people who live in major metropolitan areas look like due to exposure to heavily polluted air? Do their lobes shrivel? If so, are these people discriminated against because their lobes are shriveled? I smell a class action lawsuit.

We are all terminal. Or as a much loved ex-parrot used to say - "we're all gonna die!". Life is a long series of trade-offs. Is a little brain shrivel much of a trade-off for the potentially life altering experiences one can have while dabbling with this or that drug? All the pretty and not so pretty pictures of shriveled brains aside, I think the answer to this question falls under the category of personal choice.

If there's one thing to learn from this study it is to STAY AWAY from Anhauser-Busch products. :)

-- Rich (living_in_interesting_times@hotmail.com), September 01, 2001.

Brain Pollution and the Real

Reason You Shouldn't Use

Abstracts

Excellent satire, Cherri! The entire treatise is an example of why one shouldn't use abstracts! Perfect! And, that line: "without your brain you are not you."? I thought I was gonna piss myself.

-- (Too@damned.funny), September 01, 2001.

Rich,

I totally agree with your analysis. You should go with Miller High life - The Champagne of bottled beer.

P>.S.

How do you know people weren't discussing your shriveled lobes. Perhaps they were so shriveled you didn't notice the discussion.

-- Jack Booted Thug (governmentconspiracy@NWO.com), September 01, 2001.

TDF, I DID piss myself when I read that line. It's ok though as I was sitting in my brother's chair at the time and he's away for the night.

JBT: One of the benefits of using psychedelics is one becomes able to hear other people's thoughts. One of the downsides of using psychedelics is one becomes able to hear other people's thoughts. Now, using too much alcohol at one sitting CAN result in noticeable shrinkage. But that's a horse of a different feather, so to speak.

-- Rich (living_in_interesting_times@hotmail.com), September 01, 2001.

Brain scans of alcohol users, drug users and PMSers. Cherri, please oh please, do not show us one of male-menopause.

-- Lars (lars@indy.net), September 01, 2001.

I think it's ironic that our resident junkie posted this. But then again, maybe it's not.

I'll bet that if you took a picture of someone right after they ate a jalapeno it would look just like the 28 y/o heavy meth user.

-- (round @bout.net), September 01, 2001.

reefer madness

-- Lars (lars@indy.net), September 01, 2001.

Say Round, what do you think a brain would look life after a generous bowl of serrano salsa w/chips, followed by a chili relleno, chicken flautas (filled with chicken cooked with chiletepins), covered with more of that serrano salsa, consumed with a cold beer? hmmm?

-- Aunt Bee (Aunt__Bee@hotmail.com), September 01, 2001.

All the pics wont load. sigh.

Oh perhaps they did and um, well, never mind.

-- sumer (I@aint.saying), September 02, 2001.

Cherri, please oh please, do not show us one of male-menopause

LOL, Lars!

-- Debra (Thisis@it.com), September 02, 2001.

It's all true Cherri. The only variable that matters is the age of the brain when drug influence starts. A 20 year old mostly fully formed (patterned) brain suffers far less than a 13 year old puppy's.

Mothers, mind your kids.

-- Carlos (riffraff@cybertime.net), September 02, 2001.

Jeesh. Who in the hell would want to die with an unshriveled brain? I mean, what a waste. Now if it was dick shriveling they were talking of, now THAT could cause some concern.

-- Eat drink & be merry for tomorrow we're worm food (fire@it.up), September 03, 2001.

I assume that you are referring to long term shriveling not the temporary "shrinkage" as is alledged to occur in some males.

-- Jack Booted Thug (governmentconspiracy@NWO.com), September 03, 2001.