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Similar to heroin, oxycodone produces â along with pain management â a euphoric high caused by stimulation of the reward center of the brain. Oxycodone elevates levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine, which is considered the pleasure chemical of the brain. On the street, OxyContin is known as âOxy,â âOC,â âOxyCotton,â âHillbilly Heroin,â and âKickers,â and is often used if heroin or morphine is not available.
Neurotransmitters usually have multiple functions, and they work together to produce certain effects. Both serotonin and norepinephrine seem to help regulate mood. An older class of antidepressants, the tricyclics, also affect serotonin and norepinephrine, along with other neurotransmitters. Most of the side effects that people experience when taking tricyclics come from the overlapping effect on other neurotransmitters, like histamine and acetylcholine.