Drugs that Help Strokes

What?! There are drugs that may actually help with strokes?

So far as to what I have been researching, yes there is and a few might be shocking to some people.

We have definitely come a long way medically as to finding the cause and factors of different types of strokes. I have found ischemia interesting because there is a way to reduce the effects of stroke if done quickly. The drug tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is known to break up blood clots. Similar effects can be found in aspirin and it is good to know the causes of strokes. It is amazing now that hospitals are prepared to do what is best for each type of stroke. For example, the physician cannot give tPA to a patient who experienced a hemorrhage (ruptured artery) like candy considering it will make the effects worse. There are a few more options to consider, some that I am a bit skeptical on, but if they help, then by all means. Brain damage is preventable to a certain degree through cooling the brain and even a bit of marijuana because of the cannabinoids chemicals. From my past readings and research, marijuana has yet to be pronounced dangerous to an occasional user. Definitely not for pregnant women, but for those in medical needs, I don't see why not if it is not harmful and may make the effects better because of the decrease in glutamate. 

That of course is a completely different post for a different time...

For more information and videos on strokes you can look here.

So What About That Marijuana Legalization?

I find the topic of marijuana to be very interesting and you too will understand soon.

If you didn't already know, marijuana has chemicals such as cannabinoids, that are used medically for the following reasons:

• relieves pain or nausea
• combat glaucoma (an eye disorder)
• increases appetite

This is the purified THC called dronabinol that is approved, but is not legal in every state. It is controversial because of some of the effects it has on users such as:

• psychological effects: 
• intensification of sensory experience 
• illusion that time slows down
• impairments of memory and cognition

These effects we investigated and was concluded to be caused by the brain's cannabinoid receptors (found in many areas of the mammalian brain, but scarce in the medulla). The experience of marijuana can be pleasant, but with legitimate reason. Cannabinoids inhibit GABA to the ventral segmental area of the midbrain (which is the major source of axons that release dopamine. The cannabinoids then decrease inhibition so the increase of activity of the neurons release dopamine (the feel good chemical).

I found a few stats and web pages that I feel provide important research and information of the use and consequences of marijuana use.

-Medical Dangers

-Addiction Help

Our Beyond Huge Universe

"Imagine the number 1 followed by about 500 zeros." Straight from the source of the book being used in Physiological Psychology. Wow! The whole idea is mind blowing for our universe to possibly be different in so many ways, but ended up this particular way for us to be able to live in. I loved how the chapter engaged me right at the beginning with the insights on if the universe were made any differently, even to the slightest, life would not be possible! I think this was a great way to introduce all the topics in the module such as biological psychology, which is one of my favorite studies so far. Mainly because it is able to branch out into all kinds of focuses on brain functioning. This is where neurons are mentioned, which so happens to be my group's team name! 

This is what they look like in case you have never seen them magnified like me. :-) 

So speaking of brain functioning, I really enjoyed the biological explanations of behavior which include: physiological, evolutionary, ontogenetic, and functional. Functional explanation intrigues me the most because it answers the why questions on how certain things or animals evolved. I would like to see more examples on which animals use their passed on genes as an advantage to living and what the functional explanations will be. I am definitely excited to learn more on biology, even though this is physiological psychology class.