Narcotics have a much greater effect on the brains of mentally-ill people, according to a University of Montreal researcher.
Mentally-ill people are more sensitive to the effects of addictive drugs, which may cause irreversible deterioration of the cerebral structures, said Dr. Stephane Potvin, United Press International reported.
"They become dependent more quickly and they tend to abuse drugs more easily. It is evident that drug use can worsen the symptoms of mental disease," Potvin said in a news release. "The odds that a mental disorder manifests itself in an individual can increase if he or she consumes drugs."
Integrated treatment is required for patients with mental disease and drug abuse, according to Potvin, who noted that people with mental illness and those with drug dependence often receive different types of treatment, UPI reported.