Drugs and Brain Injury  

Drugs affect the brain. That is exactly why some people use these substances. This also applies to alcohol.

 

The effects are often experienced as pleasant and enjoyable, especially in the short term.

In the long term, and sometimes even in the short term, there are also (possible) unpleasant effects and risks. For example, alcohol and drugs can also give an unpleasant feeling. They can cause physical complaints or ensure that someone can no longer think clearly. In some cases, it can result in brain damage. We will discuss this further here.

 

These substances have in common that when someone is under the influence of (one of) them, behavior, emotions and cognitive functions can change. For example, in cognitive functions: not being able to react quickly, making bad or impulsive decisions and overestimating one's own abilities and becoming overconfident as a result.

 

Some drugs also cause changes in consciousness. All these consequences can become a problem when it is very important to react well, safely and quickly. For example, think of participating in traffic or operating machinery.

Every year there are traffic accidents as a result of alcohol and other drugs. Or the combination of the two. Getting into a (car) accident is life-threatening and can cause traumatic brain injury.

 

In addition to the risk of traumatic brain injury, there are other forms of brain injury that have been associated with alcohol and other drugs. For these other forms of brain injury, the risk of a certain brain injury or adverse effect depends on which substance is involved.

On this page, we will discuss which substances have been associated with which type of brain injury. In addition to the possible brain injury that can occur, we will discuss possible cognitive consequences.

 

There are more possible adverse effects, which we will not discuss here. If you want extensive information about all (occurring) effects and side effects of these drugs, please visit these Dutch websites: drugsinfo.nl and alcoholinfo.nl.

On the following websites you will find information about it in English:

•  https://medlineplus.gov/druguseandaddiction.html
•  https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/brochures-and-fact-sheets/understanding-alcohol-use-disorder

 

• Cannabis
• XTC
• Cocaine
• Laughing gas (Nitrous Oxide)
• Vaping /vapes

 

Relationship between amount and duration of substances and risks

In general, people are not surprised to hear that years of heavy drug abuse can cause brain damage. It is not so well known that short-term substance use can also cause damage.

However, the chances of brain damage generally increase when there are larger quantities and use over a longer period. The further lifestyle is also important. If you do not eat well and neglect yourself, this also has an impact on the brain.

It is not possible to predict when and at what quantities brain damage can occur. There are also major differences per person.

One person is simply more sensitive than the other. In addition, it is generally assumed that substance use in young people increases the risk of cognitive consequences because the brain is still developing.

 

Cannabis (weed/hash/marijuana)

Cannabis can cause changes in blood pressure. In general, changes in blood pressure are not beneficial and can increase the risk of a stroke. There are a few studies that suggest that cannabis can increase the risk of a stroke. However, there is not much evidence that this is actually the case and whether this is actually due to the cannabis. In the Netherlands, cannabis is usually combined with tobacco. Smoking tobacco is clearly known to increase the risk of stroke. So it is probably not the cannabis, but the tobacco that is responsible for a higher risk of stroke.

 

Furthermore, cannabis impairs certain cognitive functions in the short term (i.e. fairly quickly after ingestion).
Usually, these impairments recover.

However, there is some evidence that residual complaints on cognitive functions can be seen among long-term users.

• it impairs memory
  
• it makes it harder to maintain attention
  
• it causes one's own behavior to be judged worse
  
• it can impair motor skills
  
• it can make people slower

 

It is known that frequent cannabis use can negatively affect school performance among young people because it impairs learning ability. If one is unable to learn, this can also have effects on one's functioning in the longer term. 

 

XTC 

XTX or MDMA (3,4-methylene-dioxymethamphetamine) is a neurotoxic substance.

This means that it is poisonous to the brain. XTC can lead to changes in the brain and can cause memory deterioration.
Brain damage due to XTC use can be a result of overheating (hyperthermia).

The risk increases when people are in a warm room, dance a lot and do not cool down enough. In addition, XTC can disrupt substances in the brain (also called neurotransmitters such as serotonin). This can contribute to memory problems.
MDMA also affects certain hormones that are important for fluid balance. It makes it more difficult to urinate and the kidneys excrete less water. Your body therefore retains the fluid. When people drink a lot of water or soft drinks, there is a risk of water intoxication (hyponatremia).
The combination of drinking a lot and hardly being able to urinate increases the volume of the blood (because it contains a lot of fluid).
There is less salt in the blood because it is diluted by the water in the body. This causes fluid to enter the brain, which can cause it to swell (cerebral edema) and press against the skull. This can cause a serious and life-threatening situation with epileptic seizures, coma and in the worst case death. More information about this can be found here.

 

Cocaine

Cocaine is a drug with many different risks for the body. Specifically with regard to brain damage, cocaine increases blood pressure and can contribute to arteriosclerosis over time. It is also known that cocaine can increase the risk of a cerebral haemorrhage/cerebral infarction. The same principle also applies to heart complaints and coronary diseases. Sometimes this is even seen in young people. In short, cocaine is bad for your cardiovascular system.
Cognitive functions also deteriorate with long-term use. Arteriosclerosis can play a role in this.

In the short term, cognitive functions can sometimes improve briefly, but the possible risks of cocaine use are actually very big.

 

Laughing gas (Nitrous Oxide)

Laughing gas is a drug that has become popular in recent years.

It seemed like a harmless substance, but it is now known that frequent use can cause serious neurological consequences.

Laughing gas first of all ensures that you do not get enough oxygen. That can be dangerous. It also blocks the absorption of vitamin B12. This vitamin is very important for the proper functioning of the nervous system, especially for maintaining the myelin sheaths. These are the insulation layers around the nerve pathways. A deficiency can lead to brain damage and damage to the spinal cord (combined cord disease) and the nerve pathways in the arms and legs (polyneuropathy).
Symptoms can include: loss of sensory nerves, tingling in, for example, the arms and legs, dull feeling, nerve pain, cramping pain, stabbing pain, problems with the bladder and intestines, loss of muscle strength, muscle weakness, balance disorders and coordination disorders. The gait pattern can be seriously disrupted (spastic and ataxic / ataxia).
The disease can be accompanied by damaged nerve connections to and from organs and tissues (peripheral nerves). The optic nerve can be damaged and the brain can be involved in
cognitive dysfunction.
The most serious consequences are the failure of motor nerves and the symptoms of paralysis. In the case of a spinal cord injury, nerve pathways in the spinal cord are pinched and certain parts of the body become paralyzed.
In addition, the safety of non-users is at stake if the person using laughing gas causes unsafe situations, for example in traffic.

As of January 1, 2023, the use and possession of laughing gas will be prohibited in the Netherlands (soft drug list / list II of the Opium Act).

More information can be found here.

 

Vapes

Vaping and Nicotine have a negative effect on brain development and are also highly addictive, states the Dutch Trimbos Institute.

Nicotine, which is also found in vapes, can lead to palpitations, dizziness, high blood pressure and even epileptic seizures.
Smoking vapes, electronic cigarettes, also releases toxic metals. These damage the brain, respiratory tract and other organs. These toxic metals include lead, uranium and cadmium.
Not only can vaping cause respiratory complaints, but vaping also has an effect on the brain and psyche, especially for young people. Impulsiveness, poor impulse control, loss of concentration and memory problems and depression are often mentioned. The brain develops until about the age of 25. If its development is damaged before that time, it is irreparable.
We mention vaping on this page because it is so addictive in the age group up to 25.

More information on this Dutch website by doctors who warn about the dangers of vaping: https://artsenslaanalarm.nl/:

 

1. Many vapes release more toxic and addictive nicotine than a whole pack of cigarettes.
2. Nicotine disrupts brain development and that is irreparable.
3. Nicotine increases the risk of various psychological problems.
4. Vaping young people are three times more likely to smoke cigarettes.