The Cocaine Addiction of Women is Greater Than That of Men
It is a neuropsychiatric disease where an individual tends to prioritize excessive drug consumption over all other activities. A person with addiction will alternate frequently between abstinence, and then relapse. Addiction can affect anyone, no matter what their age is or any other factor such as socio-economic standing, religion, personality, etc.
It is possible that the gender gap has a significant impact on development speed. Drug abuse and cocaine in particular has made women more susceptible than men. Cocaine is used by women in high quantities because it can increase their alertness and energy. The drug is used to treat mental and emotional issues, click for source.
Early clinical research was dominated by men. Researchers and clinicians in the past did not include women as participants because they felt that their cycle of hormones would make it difficult to come up with conclusive results. Women’s participation in research can be a barrier to better understanding addictions due to biological differences.
It is a recent phenomenon that women are included in clinical research. Inclusion of women into clinical trials is still a new concept. It has improved the quality of medicine and intervention methods, while also enhancing our understanding about how men’s addictions develop. Research has changed in recent years, which helped us to learn more about addiction.
Study discusses reasons for women’s increased consumption of cocaine. Nature Communications published a sexspecific study about cocaine and reward that explains everything.
Drug addiction in women: The impact of hormonal imbalances
According to a study led by Mount Sinai Hospital’s Dr. Erin Calipari and conducted at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, women are much more likely than men to become addicted when using cocaine. The study also revealed that women consume more cocaine, and do so at a youngers age than their male counterparts. This study shows that women are more likely to use cocaine.
Scientists studied mice in order to understand the difference between cocaine usage by women and men. The same dopamine reactions and drug responses are found in both mice and humans. Therefore, scientists analyzed the mice during different stages of their reproductive cycle.
Researchers have found that the cycles of women and cocaine are interconnected. Female mice with low levels of hormones will act more like male mice. Women with high levels of estrogen are more likely than other females to be rewarded by cocaine.
They also showed that female brains were more affected than males by the cocaine. A study revealed differences between male and female mouse environments. The study found that males and females mice had different preferences when it comes to places where cocaine is present.