– Nicotine is a tropane alkaloid, it has the ability to release dopamine in the reward pathways of the brain, why does it not produce consistent euphoria like cocaine; alkaloid or speed: amphetamine?

Question

EDIT – Something I forgot to mention which may add context is that after a period of abstinence I feel a sharp euphoric wave of dopamine which goes away within less than a few minutes and results in dysphoria, even with redosing.

Unlike cocaine, which I’m comparing since both are alkaloids, it seems to build a very unusually fast tolerance and any positive effects dissipate, unlike the latter.

In: 3379

Answer 1

Nicotine is not a tropane alkaloid. Tropane is a fused bicylic compound, the chemical rings are connected at 2 points. Nicotine is not a fused ring, the chemical rings are only connected at 1 point. It is difficult to explain without pictures but the structures are available on wiki.

Speed and related amphetamines are also not tropane alkaloids.

As for why the effects are different, brain receptors are different shapes and are activated by chemicals which fit their shapes. The better the chemical futs, the stronger the reaction. Simplely put coke will activate 1 of receptors and nicotine a different set hence the different effects.