Citation

Bearn J, O'Brien M. Int. Rev. Neurobiol. 2015; 120: 205-233.

Affiliation

Addictions Clinical Academic Group, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, Maudsley Hospital, London, United Kingdom.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/bs.irn.2015.02.005

PMID

26070759

Abstract

Eating, drinking, sexual activity, and parenting invoke pleasure, an emotion that promotes repetition of these behaviors, are essential for survival. Euphoria, a feeling or state of intense excitement and happiness, is an amplification of pleasure, aspired to one's essential biological needs that are satisfied. People use party drugs as a shortcut to euphoria. Ecstasy (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine), γ-hydroxybutyric acid, and ketamine fall under the umbrella of the term "party drugs," each with differing neuropharmacological and physiological actions. This chapter seeks to survey the history and epidemiology of party drug use; we will then discuss the pharmacological characteristics of each drug to provide a platform for understanding the difficulties that party drug users encounter through intoxication, harmful use, dependence, and withdrawal and how these should be clinically managed.

Language: en