NIDA for Teens: The Science Behind Drug Abuse
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  • Adrenal glands: Glands, located above each kidney that secrete hormones, e.g., adrenaline. [3]
  • Amphetamine: Stimulant drugs whose effects are very similar to cocaine. [5]
  • Amyl nitrite: A yellowish oily volatile liquid used in certain diagnostic procedures and prescribed to some patients for heart pain. Illegally diverted ampules of amyl nitrite are called "poppers" or "snappers" on the street. [9]
  • Anabolic effects: Drug-induced growth or thickening of the body's nonreproductive tract tissues-including skeletal muscle, bones, the larynx, and vocal cords-and decrease in body fat. [2]
  • Analgesics: A group of medications that reduce pain. [2]
  • Anesthetic: An agent that causes insensitivity to pain and is used for surgeries and other medical procedures. [6]
  • Androgenic effects: A drug's effects upon the growth of the male reproductive tract and the development of male secondary sexual characteristics. [2]
  • Aplastic anemia: A disorder that occurs when the bone marrow produces too few of all three types of blood cells: red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. [9]
  • Axon terminal: The structure at the end of an axon that produces and releases chemicals (neurotransmitters) to transmit the neuron's message across the synapse. [5]
  • Axon: The fiber-like extension of a neuron by which the cell carries information to target cells. [5]
  • AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome): A condition characterized by a defect in the body's natural immunity to diseases. Individuals who suffer from it are at risk for severe illnesses that are usually not a threat to anyone whose immune system is working properly. [8]
  • Addiction: A chronic, relapsing disease characterized by compulsive drug-seeking and abuse and by long-lasting chemical changes in the brain. [1]
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