How Psychoactive Drugs Cross the Blood-brain Barrier

INFERENCE: HOW PSYCHOACTIVE DRUGS CROSS THE BLOOD-BRAIN BARRIER
Author:
Institution:
Date of Submission:
Drug-affecting drugs, also known as psychoactive drugs are substances that act upon the central nervous system, and in the process affect an individual’s cognitive ability and behavior. The blood capillaries that supply the brain with blood are characterized by a fatty protective covering that prevents viruses, toxins, and harmful bacteria from gaining access into the central nervous system. In order to enter into the brain, a substance’s molecules have first to pass through the blood brain barrier that acts as the central chemical protection system for the central nervous system. The tight cell-wall junctions, coupled with a layer of cells around the blood vessels prevent large and electrically charged molecules from gaining access into the brain. Psychoactive drugs are highly fat-soluble and hence they easily cross the blood-brain barrier.