Cascade Injector

The Dopamine/LC-NE Burst Stimulant Injector is an experimental medical syringe that contains a manufactured mix of chemicals to temporarily induce flow state in a user. Unlike a normal flow state, this is more of a low-grade super flow which some Dragonian medical experts state is almost on par with what happens to Dragonian Super Soldiers when they are in the middle of combat. This would make the injector the first medical grade item that could allow individual normal people to do things that were otherwise considered beyond their ability. As of this moment, Dragonian scientists aren't sure how to create the syringes as they were brought from Vixa and are the subject of heavy study.

The injectors are colloquially known as "Cascade Injectors" not only because of the slight iridescent rainbow hue of the chemicals inside but upon injection the user sees a bright flash of colors as well as a heightened sensitivity to color during the duration.

Created by GeneTECH on Vixa, these injectors were used by the Paradene to give their combat troops an edge in combat and they worked. The injectors work by injecting a mix of hormones directly into the bloodstream. The primary hormone is dopamine, which inundates the brain and causes intense feelings of pleasure, motivation and concentration. There are also hormones that stimulate the locus coeruleus-norepinephrine (LC-NE) system, which helps regulate decision making and task engagement allowing the user to focus almost exclusively on the task at hand. The enhanced mental ability, above that of a normal human, allows for the user to rapidly and almost instantaneously weigh risks and rewards as well as ability to complete a task based on skill, meaning less mistakes and higher results.

While incredibly useful, these hormones are foreign to the body so they will be washed out of the system fairly quickly. Typically the injection lasts approximately 15 minutes but under heavy stress and based on physical condition, it could last as little as 8 minutes.

Putting it very simply; the effects of a cascade injector almost make it seem as though everything is going in slow motion and that your body is just "doing what needs to be done when it needs to be done".

## Effects

Transient Hyperfrontality: Users of the Cascade injector have been observed to have lower pre-frontal cortex functioning. This causes a decline in executive function thought. The degradation of this functionality means the user is less apt to consider oneself during use meaning that they are more focused on the task at hand. While this can be a good thing, if used during a hazardous scenario such as a warzone, the user may be more prone to putting themselves in danger with no regard to their own safety when they otherwise wouldn't. Curiously, this also makes the user less likely to eat or drink, as they're not thinking about themselves. This can lead to dehydration in the user especially under demanding physical conditions.

Brain Synchronization: Sections of the brain that are responsible for motor function better and have a more synchronized output. This allows the user to make decisions almost immediately as they're thought up. Tying into the hyperfrontality, the user may not be concerned with themselves or the consequences of the actions on themselves. They 're focused on the goal, leaving the brain to focus solely on the task at hand and devoting all of it's power to executing the tasks required.

## Side Effects

As the saying goes, there's no such thing as a free lunch. With the benefits of the cascade injector come side effects. This is doubly so as the cascade injector works directly on the brain itself using hormones that the brain generates on its own.

Effects
 Temporary Psychosis

## Long-Term Effects

Use of the cascade injector is subject to long-term effects due to it's use. The human body, and the brain in particular, are designed to work within a specific set of parameters. Altering brain chemistry can cause long-term detrimental side effects.

Long Term Effects

* High-Level Dopamine Burnout
* Depression
* Eating Disorders
* Anxiety
* Addiction
* Aggression
	+ Hyper Aggression in severe cases
* Insomnia/Irregular Sleep patterns

The cascade injector is not a recreational drug. It shouldn't be used except exactly as designed for the situations it was designed for. While it's possible to use the injector to enter a pseudo-survival mode to ignore hunger, fear and other negative effects, chronic use will eventually cause notable harm to the user. Using more than 1 injector in any 3 hour period can also cause temporary psychosis as the brain freaks out due to the massive hormonal over saturation.