Page 110 - The Memory Program How to Prevent Memory Loss and Enhance Memory Power

Page 99

with many other substances, if you are a caffeine lover, moderation is the key.

Other Drug Abuse

Several illegal drugs— including marijuana, amphetamines, cocaine, and heroin— can damage brain
functions, including memory. As with alcohol, the aging brain shows heightened sensitivity to most
drugs of abuse, increasing the risk of memory loss.

Marijuana

Marijuana usually gives rise to a feeling of mild euphoria and a sensation of distance from the world
that lies around the user. Although tolerance and withdrawal are milder than with alcohol, brain
concentrations of cannabinoids, the active chemicals in marijuana, can reach astronomical levels.

Effects of Marijuana

Interferes with acetylcholine production and thus lowers the level of this neurotransmitter that is
important for attention and memory.
High levels of cannabinoids in the brain lead to fluctuations in mental faculties, lethargy, and
poor concentration, with inability to register new information and consequent memory loss.

People who quit using marijuana usually regain most of their cognitive abilities. In our Memory
Disorders Center, we have seen patients in their fifties and sixties with mild memory loss who later
improved when they discontinued the use of marijuana. These people had handled the drug with ease
when they were young, but it finally caught up with them because the aging process in the brain
made them more vulnerable to the drug's toxic effects.

Cocaine and Amphetamines

Cocaine (“crack” in its concentrated form) and amphetamines (“speed”; “Ecstasy”) increase the
release of catecholamines, a broad