3.1.2 - effect of recreational drugs on CNS

Question 1

what is a drug?

Answer 1

a substance which has a physiological effect when ingested or otherwise deliberately introduced into the body

Question 2

what are different categories which drugs can be classified into?

Answer 2

psychoactive/non-psychoactive
recreational/therapeutic
legal/illegal

Question 3

what is a psychoactive drug?

Answer 3

one which alters the function of the CNS to bring about a change in emotion, cognition and/or behaviour
related - drug

Question 4

what is a recreational drug?

Answer 4

one which the user chooses to take because they want to experience the effects
related - drug

Question 5

what is a therapeutic drug?

Answer 5

one taken to treat a symptom/problem
related - drug

Question 6

what is an illegal drug?

Answer 6

one where possession of it is prohibited by the criminal law of a given country
related - drug

Question 7

what is the reward pathway?

Answer 7

part of the brain which cause us to experience a pleasurable feeling when activated, encouraging us to repeat the behaviour which did this

Question 8

what is the dopamine system?

Answer 8

a pathway in the brain operating on dopamine, so when dopamine is released we experience feelings of reward - most psychoactive drugs operate on it

Question 9

what is the nucleus accumbens and ventral tegmental?

Answer 9

areas of the midbrain associated with the brain’s reward system

Question 10

how does heroin cause people to become addicted to it?

Answer 10

1. it increases the amount of dopamine in reward pathways of the brain, causing euphoria
2. the brain reacts by reducing (down regulating) natural dopamine production - when the drug wear off, people have less dopamine than usual and experience dysphoria
3. the user is motivated to take more heroin to produce the initial high - doing this repeatedly further reduces dopamine production, so the person becomes physically dependent on the drug (to avoid withdrawal) and is addicted

Question 11

what is withdrawal?

Answer 11

it occurs when a drug stops being active in the nervous system and the brain has adapted to the changes brought about by the drug, so now can’t function normally without it - it causes unpleasant and possibly dangerous withdrawal symptoms

Question 12

what is tolerance?

Answer 12

when users have to take ever-greater doses of a drug to get the same effect as when they took it previously

Question 13

what is addiction?

Answer 13

when a person’s recreational drug use becomes out of control to the point that their ability to lead a normal life is affected

Question 14

what are the four main symptoms of addiction?

Answer 14

1. tolerance and withdrawal
2. impaired control (cravings, failed reduction of drug intake)
3. social or work problems
4. risky use of drug eg. injecting instead of smoking

Question 15

what is the mode of action of alcohol?

Answer 15

increases the effects of GABA, an inhibitory neurotransmitter, so downstream neurons are more responsive to increases in GABA - this slows communication between neurons and brain areas
reduce the effects of glutamate, an excitatory neurotransmitter, by blocking the receptors - thus further suppresses brain activity as glutamate usually increases neuronal firing

Question 16

what are the cognitive effects of alcohol and which brain areas are affected?

Answer 16

poor judgment/risky behaviour - prefrontal cortex
loss of motor control - cerebellum
memory lapses - hippocampus

Question 17

what are the emotional effects of alcohol?

Answer 17

initially makes neurons less excitable which instills feeling of relaxation - associated with reducing stress
increases dopamine levels in reward pathway creating short term emotional highs - can be mood-enhancing in social situations
disrupts neurotransmitter balance in limbic system - following initial high it can cause irritability, aggression and sadness

Question 18

what are the behavioural effects of alcohol?

Answer 18

emotional instability which it causes (suppresses inhibitory control in prefrontal cortex) can lead to unpredictable behaviour
long-term effects on nervous system cause balance problems, tolerance and withdrawal symptoms

Question 19

what is the mode of action of cocaine?

Answer 19

it blocks the reuptake of dopamine meaning it accumulates in the synaptic cleft and has a greater effect on downstream neurons

Question 20

what are the cognitive effects of cocaine?

Answer 20

it initially enhances focus and energy levels by causing floods of signals between neurons - people may feel confident and able to quickly complete tasks
it also disrupts the pre-frontal cortex which causes impaired judgement and impulsive behaviour
in the long-term it causes memory and concentration problems

Question 21

what are the emotional effects of cocaine?

Answer 21

increase in dopamine levels makes people feel energised and euphoric
with chronic use people may become paranoid or aggressive as the brain struggles to process the excess neurotransmitters
in the comedown phase users have lower dopamine levels so may experience depression and anxiety
long term use can cause mood or psychiatric disorders

Question 22

what are the behavioural effects of cocaine?

Answer 22

users may show drug-seeking behaviour due to their cravings - the brain becomes hyper-focused on finding more of the drug to maintain the euphoria
receptors become less sensitive to dopamine so users find less pleasure in everyday activities
impact on the prefrontal cortex affects ability to make decisions, regulate emotions and remember things

Question 23

how do psychoactive drugs affect synaptic transmission overall?

Answer 23

they increase or decrease activity at specific synapses by:
1. activating receptors directly (activists)
2. blocking neurotransmitter reuptake (reuptake inhibitors)
3. bind to receptors without activating them (antagonists)

Question 24

what is the limitation of only using biopsychology to understand recreational drug use?

Answer 24

it doesn’t take into account the fact that people also use substances recreationally for social, psychological and cultural reasons

Question 25

how do social factors influence recreational drug use?

Answer 25

young people may first encounter drugs in social situations and feel encouraged to experiment due to peer pressure or desire for social acceptance
drug use in a social setting can promote bonding and help people fit in

Question 26

how do psychological factors influence recreational drug use?

Answer 26

substances are used as coping mechanisms for mental health challenges
cannabis can relieve anxiety or stimulants can provide joy for those with depression
as a result, therapeutic interventions may also be required in supporting drug users

Question 27

how do cultural factors influence recreational drug use?

Answer 27

in some communities, drugs may be more culturally accepted or used in tradition
indigenous communities in South America use coca leaves to relieve altitude sickness and improve stamina, while in the West cocaine signifies different social attitudes
biology can’t explain the cultural significance of the effect of drugs

Question 28

what is a reductive view?

Answer 28

overemphasising one aspect and underemphasising or leaving out other aspects

Question 29

what is a holistic view?

Answer 29

taking different explanations and factor into account to achieve a rounded understanding of behaviour