| Regeneration of Planarian in Stimulants | home |
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| Adrenaline as a Stimulant |
Drugs that excite bodily functions, especially those that excite the brain and central nervous system, are called stimulants.Other common stimulants include nicotine (though nicotine is thought to act both as a short-term stimulant and as a long-term depressant) and the ingredients in many diet pills.
Stimulants may be used medically to cope with sleep disorders, to control appetite, or to fight depression.
There are many groups of stimulants. A group known as the tricyclic antidepressant drugs are extremely effective in treating depressed patients. A common, naturally occurring group of stimulants is the methylxanthines. In some instances, however, caffeine can cause over stimulation, headaches, heart palpitations, and insomnia.
Another common group of stimulants is the amphetamines. Amphetamines raise heartbeat and blood pressure, increase the glucose supply to muscles, stimulate breathing, and expand air passages. Side effects can include nausea, agitation, loss of appetite, and rapid, irregular heartbeat. Overdoses can cause fever, hallucinations, convulsions, and coma. Cocaine, a white, crystalline drug, stimulates the cortex of the brain, producing euphoria. It may also produce auditory, visual, or tactile hallucinations. Psychological dependency may develop in a short time, and large doses can cause convulsions, respiratory failure, and death.