15.3 - Five Commonly Used Drugs Flashcards
what are the ingredients in a cigarettet
Nicotine and a bunch of other chemicals we call Tar
what does nicotine act on?
nicotinic cholinergic receptors in the brain
How many premature deaths is tobacco involved in every year?
5 million, around 1 in 10
what are the effects of tobacco on a non-smoker?
various combinations of nausea, committing, coughing, sweating, abdominal cramps, dizziness, flushing and diarrhea
what are the effects of tobacco on a smoker
relaxation, more alter, less hungry
why are there such differences between the effects of nicotine in smokers and nn-smokers?
Very considerable tolerance builds up to immediate effects of tobacco
What is compulsive drug craving
affective state characterized by a strong desire for a drug that is associated with drug addiction
what are the withdrawal effects of smoking cessation after habitual use?
depression, anxiety, restlessness, irritability, constipation, difficulties sleeping, concentrating
what is the rate of people who experiment with smoking two become addicted? Compare this to alcohol and heroine
70, compared to 10 and 30 respectively
how long does it tend to take to develop a nicotine addiction?
a few weeks
what’s the percentage of smokers who are able to stop for more than 2 years?
20
what is the heritability estimate of nicotine addiction?
55%
what is smokers syndrome
chest pain, laboured breathing, wheezing, coughing and heightened susceptibility to infections of the respiratory tract
what type of disorders are chronic smokers highly susceptible to? (2)
- lung disorders, such as phneumonial bronchitis, emphysema, and cancer
- cardiovascular disease which can culminate in HA or stroke
what are the other types of cancer smoking is associated with?
larynx, mouth, esophagus, kidneys, pancreas, bladder, stomach
what is Buergers disease?
what is its prevalence?
blood vessels, especially those in the legs, become very constricted
15/100,000
are the harmful effects of nicotine limited to those who smoke? explain
no,
- those who live or work with smokers are more likely to develop heart disease and cancer than those who dont
- teratogenic - increases the likelihood of miscarriage, stillbirth and early childhood death
what is the good and bad news for those who are addicted to nicotine?
- treatments for addiction are only marginally effective
- once people do quit, they experience massive benefits to their health
- even replacing smoking with another form of administration will lead to health benefits
how many global deaths is alcohol involved in?
2 million worldwide, including birth defects, ill health, accidents and violence
how many people are thought to be heavy users of alcohol globally
76 million
What parts of the body does alcohol effect?
almost all of them, bc its molecules are small and soluble in both fat and water
what is alcohol classified as, and why?
a depressant, because at moderate to high doses it suppresses neural firing
- at low doses if stimulates neural firing and facilitates social interaction
what is the heritability estimate of alcohol addiction?
50%
what are the effects of moderate doses of alcohol
cognitive, perceptual, verbal and motor impairment, as well as a loss of control that can lead to socially unacceptable behaviours
what are the effects of high doses of alcohol
unconsciousness and, if BA reach 0.5%, risk of death from respiratory depression
what produces the red facial flush In alcohol?
what causes this?
dilation of blood vessels in the skin
increases the amount of heat lost from the blood to the air and decreases body tempt causing hypothermia
why is alcohol considered a diuretic?
increases the producing of urine by the kidneys
what are some of the notable tolerance effects of alcohol addiction
livers metabolize alcohol more quickly than the livers of non drinkers
- but only produces a little overall tolerance - most of it is functional
what is associated with withdrawal after a single bout of alcohol consumption?
headache, nausea, vomitting, tremulousness - called a hangover
what are the four stages of alcohol withdrawal syndrome?
- 6-8 hours after cessation fo consumption
- anxiety, tremor, nausea, tachycardia - 10-30 hours after
- hyperactivity, insomnia, hallucinations - 12-48 hours after
- convulsive activity - 3 - 5 days after, can last up to a week
- delirium tremens (DTs)
- disturbing hallucinations, delusions, disorientation, agitation, confusion, hyperthermia, tachycardia
- convulsions and DT’s can be fatal
how does alcohol promote brain damage?
both directly and indirectly
what is an example of alcohol indirectly producing brain damage?
Korsakoff’s, caused by thiamine deficiency associated with alcohol consumption
what are the four examples of alcohol’s effects on brain function?
- interferes w second messages inside neurons
- disrupts GABAergic and glutaminergic transmission
- leads to DNA methylination
- Triggers apoptosis
what does chronic alcohol consumption do to the liver?
causes cirrhosis or extensive scarring - major cause of death amongst heavy drinkers
what does alcohol do to the muscles of the heart
erodes them, increases risk of HA
what does alcohol do to the digestive tract?
irritates the lining of the dt, so increases risk of oral and liver cancer, stomach ulcers, panchreatisis, gastritis,
how many people die in the US each year from alcohol related traffic accidents
10k
how many drinks per day are necc to observe elevated cancer risks?
one or two, mostly with breast, oral and colorectal cancers
What are the symptoms of FAS
brain damage, intellectual disability, poor coordination, muscle tone, low birth weight, retarded growth and or physical deformity
is there a safe time to consume alcohol during pregnancy? is there a safe amount? why to both
No
- alcohol disrupts. brain development in a lot of ways, including producing of CAMs and normal apoptosis patterns
- full blown FAS is rarely observed in women who have never have more than ne drink per day during pregnancy, kids of these women do have a variety of cognitive problems, but are not diagnosed with full fAS
what are the trans generational epigenetic effects of alcohol consumption
even if consumed heavily by male parents (rats), offspring can display impaired spatial learning, and sometimes human kids both of fathers who were alcoholics can have FAS characteristics
what refuted the idea that moderate drinking reduces the risk of coronary heart disease?
- eliminated those who stopped drinking due to health problems from the ‘doesn’t drink’ group and find no effects
what are the three species of cannabis
- sativa
- indica
- ruderalis
how many people used cannabis in the past year globally
124 million or more
what is THC’s full name
delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol
how many cnnabinoids does marijuana contian
more tha 80, which also may be psychoactive
what are the effects of THCV (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabivarin)
antipsychotic effects
where are most cannabinoids found in marijuana?
in the sticky resin covering the leaves and flowers which can be extracted into hashish
why was Marijuanna labeled as a narcotic?
bc early articles incorrectly claimed that those who smoked are violent and drug crazed
why are the effects of marijuana difficult to study?
they’re subtle, difficult to measure and greatly influenced by social situation
what the effects of high doses of marjiuana
short term memory impairment, goal directed and multi step processing impaired, slurred speech, meaningful conversation is hard, sense of unreality, emotional intensification, sensory distortion, paranoia, motor impairment
what is the % of people who use marjiuana daily?
around 10%, but most people use inn their teens and curtail into their 30s and 40s
are there tolerance effects and withdrawal symptoms in marijuana?
yes to the former if you use it a lot over a sustained period, but obvious withdrawal symptoms like nausea, diarrhea, sweating, chills, tremor and sleep disturbances are rare, except in lab situations where they administer massive oral doses
what are the health hazards associated with weed?
the fact that it produces tachycardia means it can onset a heart attack in those who are susceptible and have already suffered one
has here been any evidence of brain damage that can be attributed to weed?
nope
what are the three lines of indirect correlation evidence that insinuate weed in brain damage
- hippocampal volumes have been slightly lower in heavy marijuana users, but this could be due o preexsiting differences
- heavy users tend to have memory problems, but they may not persist after cessation so we can’t say its due to brain damage
- slightly more likely to be diagnosed with schizophrenia, especially if use begins during adolescence - but we can’t really tell why
what further complicates the study for brain damaging effects of weed?
explain the Nguyen and colleagues study on the subject
the fact that it could have neuroprotective effects
adults treated for traumatic brain injury found that individual’s who tested positive for marijuana use were 80% less likely to die from the brain injury than no users
what are the two receptors that were discovered in the 1990s for marijuana
CB1 and CB2
why is CB1 a unique receptor
One of the most prevalent G-protein receptors in the brain, present in other parts of the body too
where are CB2 receptors found?
throughout the CS and in the cells of the immune system
why are there THC receptors in the brain?
endogenous cannabinoid neurotransmitters called the endocannabinoids, the first of which to be isolated was anandamide
what are the therepeutic effects of THC (8)
- surpasses nausea and vomiting inn cancer patients
- promote appetite in AIDS patients
- blocks seizures
- dilates the bronchioles of asthmatics
- decrease the severity of glaucoma.
- reduce anxiety
- reduce some types of pain
- MS symptom reductions
is medical use of THC associated with any side effects?
nope
what is the proper name for cocaine
cocaine hydrochloride
what is crack?
The impure residue produced by boiling cocaine in a solution of baking soda until the water evaporates
why have most researchers focussed o the effects of cocaine hydrochloride rather than crack?
it is impure, consumed by smoking
how many people used coke last year globally?
14 million
what was cocaine prescribed as in the past?
why did we stop using it for this?
local anesthetic
- supplanted by synthetic analogues such as procaine and lidocaine
what are the common effects of cocaine use
wave of well being, self-confidence, alert, energetic, friendly, outgoing, fidgety, talkative, less desire for food and sleep
how do those addicted to coke usually consume it
in a spree, (cocaine s[ree) where they use a lot over a few days, inn which they become increasingly tolerant to its euphoric effects, so they administer larger and larger doses
how do coke sprees usually end
when there is no more cocaine or when it beings to have toxic effects
what are the effects of cocaine sprees?
what is it often misdiagnosed as?
sleeplessness, tremors, nausea, hyperthermia, psychotic symptoms in rare cases (Cocaine psychosis) - so schizophrenia
- risk of loss of consciousness, seizures, respiratory arrest, heart attack, stroke
what are the tolerance and sensitizing attributes of coke usage
tolerance to most of its features
sensitized to its motor effects
what are the withdrawal effects of the abrupt termination of a coke spree?
negative mood swings and insomnia
what are the most widely misused stimulants?
amphetamines and derivatives
what form is amphetamine usually consumed in? how?
orally, in the d-amphetamine form
is there an amphetamine equivalent of coke psychosis?
yes, amphetamine psychosis
what supplanted d-amphetamine in the 1990s?
more potent relatives, like meth, usually in its even more potent smokable and crystallized form (crystal meth)
- MDMA (methylenedioxy-methamphetamine) - taken orally - stimulant and empathogen which produces feelings of empathy
what is the primary mechanism of action of cocaine and its derivatives?
altering the activity of dopamine transporters, molecules in the presynaptic membrane that normally remove dopamine from synapses back into the presyn neurons.
what is the primary mechanism of other (no coke) stimulants?
increase he release of monoamines into synapses
Do stimulants have long term effects on health? (
a little,
- MDMA and meth can result in cognitive impairment, but effects are small and hard to reproduce
- amphetamine users (not coke) have an increased risk of developing parkinsons
- evidence of heart pathology - people dependent on any stimulant show electrocardiographic abnormalities
- evidence that those that re dependent have less gray matter if the pfc
- but all correlational. so who knows
what are the main psychoactive components of opium?
morphine and codeine
where do opioids exert their influence ?
binding to receptors who normally bind to endogenous opioids, endorphins for enkephalins
what are the benefits of opioids? what are the downsides?
Analgesics, cough and diarrhea treatment
- ADDICTION
what is the Harrison narcotics act
what , notably, did it not include?
passed inn 1914, made it illegal to sell or use opium, morphine or cocaine in the US.
HEROIN
what is heroin
synthesized molecule with two acetyl groups added to the morphine, greater increasing its ability to cross the BBB
How did the Bayer drug company market heroine
as a better. analgesic, less likely to induce nausea and vomitting
- also said it was non addictive, which was a lie and the reason it wasn’t covered by the Harrison narcotics act
when did the US government make it illegal to sell, use or possess heroin?
1924
how many people currently use heroin in the US
507,000
what is the effect of heroin that is most valued by users
the heroin rush, a wave of intense abdominal, orgasmic pleasure that evolves into. serene, drowsy euphoria
what does opioid tolerance lead to
- progress to higher dosages
- progress to more potent versions
- use more direct administration routes
- physical dependence adds to an already high motivation to. use
what is the process of. opioid withdrawal?
- 6-12 hours after last dose, increase in restlessness, pacing and fidgeting
- watering eyes, running nose, yawning, sweating are all also common
- then they fall Ito a fitful sleep that lasts for several hours
- Upon waking, original symptoms return alongside chills, shivering, profuse sweating, gooseflesh, nausea, vomiting, disarrhea, cramps, dilated pupils, tremor and muscle pains and spasms (all only in extreme cases)
where do we get the terms ‘going cold turkey’ and ‘kicking the habit’ from?
gooseflesh and muscle spasms associated with. opioid withdrawal
when are opioid withdrawal symptoms he most severe, and how long do they last? what are they most comparable to?
2-3 days, a week. at most, and a bad case of the flu
what are the risks of chronic exposure to opioids
constipation, pupil constriction, menstural irregularity, reduced sex drive - many users will take the stuff for years with no adverse physical effects
what causes most of the medical risks associated with opioids?
Indirect effects, speficially the battle between the addictive potential and the government’s attempts to eradicate their usage - those who can’t give up the habit (10%) tend to devolve into a life of poverty and crime, purchasing cut drugs, higher risk of HIV. and other infections from needles, and poor access to medical care
how does heroin overdose kill?
suppressing breathing
- but its not well understood, seems to often times be due to drug interactions bc a lot of times ODs are found to have alcohol and bennzos in the blood too
what are the two primary treatments for heroin addiction
methadone. and buprenorphine
why are methadone and buprenorphine used?
high and long lasting affinity for opioid receptors
- have may of the same adverse effects of heroin
- but they produce far less pleasure, so the idea. is. to block withdrawal with them, then maintain them on those drugs util they can be weaned off
how good are methadone and buprenorphine at suppressing addiction?
methadone is alright, but has a lot of. adverse effects
buprenorphine has less good but less dangerous
What is the best way we have found so far to reduce the problems associated with heroin use?
supervised treatment - more effective and less costly than methadone, safe injection sites reduce the spread of infection and death from heroin, in Swizerland opened clinics where people can get heroin for a small fee, and a lot of them returned to their family ad. jobs, curtailed or reduced use, no longer. present in streets, parks, drug related. crime has declined, physical and social well being has improved, number of new cases of addiction has declined
