Effects of Disease, Injury, and Drugs on the Brain

The brain is the most complex organ in the body and is still not yet fully understood. There are many areas of science dedicated to studying the brain and its capabilities. Our brains control our thoughts, memory, emotions, and other organs in the body. Therefore, it is a very needy organ. Brain cells are very sensitive to oxygen and will begin to die within four minutes without it. The brain also needs a lot of nutrients. The brain uses around twenty percent of the body’s glucose, and if the blood sugar is too low, it can have detrimental effects to the brain. 

I have seen many times in my life just how important brain health truly is. My grandfather has brain cancer. From when he was first diagnosed until now, I have seen dramatic changes in him. While he is still a very loving and happy man, he lacks the energy he once had. When he first had symptoms, my family originally thought he was having a stroke. He had a very hard time talking and getting his words out. He became very confused and was even making up words. This is called Wernicke’s aphasia. The Wernicke’s area of the brain is involved in the understanding of speech. Those with Wernicke’s aphasia may speak without problem, but what they are saying might not make sense. They might add random words, say sentences that have no meaning, or, like my grandpa, make up words. After his diagnosis, my grandpa underwent radiation and chemotherapy to help control his tumor. His cancer seemed to be under control but very recently, they found another growth. He started having seizure activity in his brain and lost some motor control in his right arm. He struggles with walking and talking, but is very determined to get better. 

Another instance where I have seen the importance of brain health is in athletics. I have had many teammates with concussions. Many of their symptoms were very mild such as headaches and dizziness. However, even mild concussions must be taken seriously because of the increased risk of brain damage. Second impact syndrome is when a person suffering from a concussion receives another head injury before they have had time to heal. This can cause rapid brain swelling causing greater brain damage and can even lead to death. In a recent incident, an NFL quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa, sustained a brain injury that caused some controversy. In the first game in which he sustained an injury, Tua was seen stumbling back and forth, clearly disoriented. He was taken aside to be evaluated but later returned to the game. In the following game, Tua was hit again. He laid there on the ground with his hands in an unnatural position over his face. This is called decorticate posturing and is indicative of a severe head injury. 

I have seen these instances where disease and injury affect the brain. However, these are not the only things that can affect the brain. Drugs and chemicals can also have significant impacts. Drugs affect the way the brain processes neurotransmitters at its neural synapses. Drugs can either inhibit the receiving neuron or excite it. This has a range of effects on the rest of the body and the mood and behavior of the individual taking the drugs. Drugs can be classified as being stimulants, depressants, and hallucinogens.  After long-term abuse of these drugs, neurons in the central nervous system will change. They will increase or decrease binding sites at the synapses and synapses will even be rearranged. Because of the changes drugs make in the brain, it is so important to avoid illicit drugs and be very mindful of prescription drugs. 

Unfortunately, most people don’t fully comprehend the dangers of drugs. There has been a huge rise in the amount of prescription drug treatment in America. Some of these drugs are very necessary and helpful, such as antihypertensive medicine. However, many drugs are being overprescribed. One example of this is opioids. While opioids do have their place and can help reduce pain after an injury, they can quickly become an addiction and be misused.  One of the adverse effects of opioid use is slowed breathing. Slowed breathing can lead to hypoxia which can lead to permanent brain damage. In most cases, the benefits of opioids do not outweigh the risks. However, opioids are often prescribed even when they don’t need to be. According to the article “The United States opioid epidemic: a review of the surgeon's contribution to it and health policy initiatives,”  in dental procedures 54% of opioids prescribed were not necessary, and in 45% of patients undergoing thoracic surgeries and 54% of patients undergoing cesarean sections, five or less opioid pills were needed. 

This is not to say that drugs do not have their place. I have a lot of family that use prescription drugs. For example, my brother has severe ADHD. While he has a very kind soul, he causes many problems and has been a big worry for my parents. His medications have been beneficial and quite necessary for his functioning. For many people suffering with ADHD and ADD, medications can greatly improve their quality of life and can impact their choices later on. For example, in one study, 75% of unmedicated ADD boys had started abusing alcohol and illicit drugs whereas only 25% of medicated boys with ADD had started abusing alcohol and illicit drugs. There was an 84% risk reduction when ADD was treated with medications. 

The more I learn about the brain, the more I value it. The way I learn, the way I move, and the person I am is largely because of my brain. Seeing the many ways that the brain can be affected by disease, injury, and chemicals makes me feel much more protective and aware of my brain. I don’t want to do anything that would impair the health of my brain.