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Alcoholic beverages to which caffeine has been added as a separate ingredient can pack a potent-and stealthily debilitating-punch. On Nov. 17, the Food and Drug Administration sent warning letters to four companies that make these products.

On this page: What is caffeine? Caffeine is a plant product that is most commonly found in coffee beans, tea, soft drinks, cocoa and chocolate. Caffeine is also found in some prescription and non-prescription drugs, including cold, allergy and pain relievers.

extreme emotion, and slowed behavior. Long-term effects include damage in cognitive behavior especially associated with the frontal lobes of the brain such as "slowed processing of information, difficulty in learning new material, deficits in abstraction and problem solving, and reduced visuospatial abilities." (1). The reason for this kind of damage

Alcohol mixed with Melatonin 

Neurotransmitters and Neuroactive Peptides Communication of information between neurons is accomplished by movement of chemicals across a small gap called the synapse. Chemicals, called neurotransmitters, are released from one neuron at the presynaptic nerve terminal. Neurotransmitters then cross the synapse where they may be accepted by the next neuron at a specialized site called a receptor.

Serotonin: 9 Questions and Answers 1. What is serotonin? Serotonin acts as a neurotransmitter, a type of chemical that helps relay signals from one area of the brain to another. Although serotonin is manufactured in the brain, where it performs its primary functions, some 90% of our serotonin supply is found in the digestive tract and in blood platelets.

Overview: Melatonin is a hormone secreted by the pineal gland in the brain. It helps regulate other hormones and maintains the body's circadian rhythm. The circadian rhythm is an internal 24-hour "clock" that plays a critical role in when we fall asleep and when we wake up.

All drugs of abuse activate the dopamine system in the reward pathway. Javascript is required to view this content. Dr. Glen Hanson A quick introduction to the many drugs of abuse and their effects on the body. Within seconds of entering the body, drugs cause dramatic changes to synapses in the brain.

Drinking alcohol in moderation by underage persons has not been demonstrated to cause brain impairment; research on heavy drinking by rats and alcohol-dependent persons may or may not apply to light and moderate drinking by those under age 21. Drinking by young Jews, Italians, Greeks, Portuguese, Spaniards and others fails to indicate brain impairment among these groups.

Auburn, Feb. 6---Alcohol: a brain food?No, it's not quite as dramatic as that, though scientists are reasonably sure moderate alcohol consumption may reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. How? They're not certain, although some suspect the benefits may stem from alcohol's effect in expanding arteries and aiding blood flow.