Guest guest Posted August 23, 2000 Report Share Posted August 23, 2000 I am sending on this information because there has been some discussion of use of herbs to aid with sleep. Like any other mind influencing substance, one needs to use caution with herbs. Also, herbs (smoked or inhaled) ought to be used with prudence and sparingly as all effects are not known on a long term basis. Use of the recreational (and yes, illegal in the U.S.) drug Ecstasy has sparked a firestorm of controversy lately. It has also sparked some research. Dr. Stephany Biello with Glasgow University recently presented information on the effects of the drug and how it can influence our biological clocks at the Federation of European Neuroscience Society meeting. Her preliminary findings are alarming. It appears that the use of Ecstasy causes the brain to become less sensitive to certain environmental signals by damaging the cells that contain the neurotransmitter serotonin. Our body's internal clock uses serotonin to help regulate our sleep/wake cycles. While Dr Biello's research on Ecstasy is still in the early stages, her work indicates that the damage to our biological clocks caused by use of the drug may be permanent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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