4 Psychopharmacology Flashcards
Drug effect
The changes a drug produces in an animal’s physiological processes and behavior.
Psychopharmacology
The study of the effects of drugs on the nervous system and on behavior.
Site of action
The locations that which molecules of drugs interact with molecules located on or in cells of the body, thus affecting some biochemical processes of the cells.
Pharmacokinetics
The process by which drugs are absorbed, distributed within the body, metabolized, and excreted.
Intravenous (IV) injection
Injection of a substance indirectly into a vein.
Intraperitoneal (IP) injection
Injection of a substance into the peritoneal cavity – the space that surrounds the stomach, intestines, liver, and other abdominal organs.
Intramuscular (IM) injection
Injection of a substance into a muscle.
Subcutaneous (SC) injection
Injection of a substance into the space beneath the skin.
Oral administration
Administration of a substance into the mouth so that it is swallowed.
Sublingual administration
Administration of the substance by placing it beneath the tongue.
Intrarectal administration
Administration of a substance into direct them.
Inhalation
Administration of the vaporous substance into the lungs.
Topical administration
Administration of a substance directly onto the skin or mucous membranes.
Intracerebral administration
Administration of a substance directly into the brain.
Intracerebralventricular (ICV) administration
Administration of a substance into one of the cerebral ventricles.
Dose-response curve
A graph of the magnitude of an effect of a drug as a function of the amount of drugs administered.
Therapeutic index
The ratio between the dose that produces the desired effect and 50% of the animals and the dose that produces toxic effects and 50% of the animals.
Affinity
The readiness with which two molecules joined together.
Tolerance
A decrease in the effectiveness of a drug that is administered repeatedly.
Sensitization
An increase in the effectiveness of a drug that is administered repeatedly.
Withdrawal symptom
The appearance of symptoms opposite to those produced by a drunk when a drug is administered repeatedly and then suddenly no longer taken.
Placebo
And inner substance that is given to an organism in lieu of a physiologically active drug; use experimentally to control for the effects of near administration of a drug.
Antagonist
A drug that opposes or inhibits the effects of a particular new transmitter on the postsynaptic cell.
Agonist
Of drugs that facilitates the effects of a particular neurotransmitter on the postsynaptic cell.
Direct agonist
A drug that binds with inactivates receptor.
Receptor blocker/direct antagonist
A drug that binds with a receptor but does not activate it; prevents the natural ligand from binding with the receptor.
Indirect antagonist
A drug that attaches to a building site on a receptor and interferes with the action of the receptor; does not interfere with the binding site for the principal ligand.
Indirect agonist
A drug that attaches to a binding site on a receptor and facilitates the action of the receptor; does not interfere with the binding site for the principal ligand.
Presynaptic heteroreceptor
A receptor located in the membrane of a terminal button that receives input from another terminal button by means of an axoaxonic synapse; binds with the neurotransmitter released by the presynaptic terminal button.
Acetyl-CoA
A cofactor that supplies acetate for the synthesis of acetylcholine.
Choline acetyltransferase (ChAT)
The enzyme that transfers the acetate iron from acetyl coenzyme A to choline, producing the neurotransmitter acetylcholine.
Botulinum toxin
An acetylcholine antagonist; prevents release by terminal buttons.
Black widow spider venom
A poison produced by the black with a spider that triggers the release of acetylcholine.
Neostigmine
A drug that inhibits the activity of acetylcholinesterace.
Nicotinic receptor
An ionotropic acetylcholine receptor that is stimulated by nicotine and blocked by curare.
Muscarinic receptor
A metabtropic acetylcholine receptor that is stimulated by muscarine and blocked by atropine.
Atropine
A drug that blocks muscarinic acetylcholine receptors.
Curare
A drug that blocks nicotinic acetylcholine receptors.
Monoamine
A class of amines that includes indolamines such as serotonin; and catecholamines, such as dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine.
Catecholamine
A class of amines that includes the neurotransmitters dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine.
Dopamine (DA)
A neurotransmitter; one of the catecholamines.
L-DOPA
The levorotatory form of DOPA; the precursor of the catecholamines; often used to treat Parkinson’s disease because of its effect as a dopamine agonist.
nigrostriatal system
A system of neurons originating in the substantia nigra and terminating in the neostriatum (cuadate nucleus and putamen).
Mesolymbic system
A system of dopaminergic neurons originating in the ventral tegmental area and terminating in the nucleus accumbens, amygdala, and hippocampus.
Mesocortical system
A system of dopaminergic neurons originating in the ventral tegmental area and terminating in the prefrontal cortex.
Parkinson’s disease
Neurological disease characterized by tremors, rigidity of the limbs, poor balance, and difficulty in initiating movements; caused by degeneration of the nigrostriatal system.
AMPT
A drug that blocks the activity of tyrosine hydroxylase and thus interferes with the synthesis of the catecholamines.
Reserpine
A drug that interferes with the storage of monoamines in synaptic vesicles.
Apomorphine
A drug that blocks dopamine receptors at low doses; at higher doses, blocks postsynaptic receptors as well.
Methylphenidate
A drug that inhibits the reuptake of dopamine.
Monoamine oxidase (MAO)
A class of enzymes that destroy the monoamines: dopamine, epinephrine, and serotonin.
Deprenyl
A drug that blocks the activity of MAO-B; acts as a dopamine agonist.
Chlorpromazine
A drug that reduces the symptoms of schizophrenia by blocking the dopamine D2 receptors.
Norepinephrine (NE)
One of the catecholamines; a neurotransmitter found in the brain and in the sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system.
Epinephrine
One of the catecholamines; a hormone secreted by the adrenal medulla; serves also as a neurotransmitter in the brain.
Fusaric acid
A drug that inhibits the activity of the enzyme dopamine-beta-hydroxylase and sauce blocks the production of norepinephrine.
Moclobemide
A drug that blocks the activity of MAO-A; acts as a noradrenergic agonist.
Locus coeruleus
A dark-colored group of noradrenergic cell bodies located in the pons near the rostral and of the floor of the fourth ventricle.
Axonal varicosity
An enlarged region along the length of an axon that contain synaptic vesicles and a releases a neurotransmitter or neuromodulator.
Idazoxan
A drug that blocks presynaptic noradrenergic alpha 2 receptors and hence acts as an agonist, facilitating the synthesis and release of NE.
Serotonin (5-HT)
An indolamine neurotransmitter; also called 5-hydroxytryptamine.
PCPA
A drug that inhibits the activity of tryptophan hydroxylase and thus interferes with the synthesis of 5-HT.
Fluoxetine
A drug that inhibits the reuptake of serotonin.
Fenfluramine
A drug that stimulates the release of serotonin.
LSD
A drug that stimulates serotonin 2A receptors.
MDMA
A drug that serves as a noradrenergic and serotonergic agonists, also known as “ecstasy”; has excitatory and hallucinogenic effects.
Histamine
A new transmitter that plays an important role in stimulating wakefulness.
Glutamate
An amino acid; the most important excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain.
NMDA receptor
A specialized ionotropic glutamate receptor that controls a calcium channel that is normally blocked by Mg2+ ions; has several other binding sites.
Kainate receptor
An ionotropic glutamate receptor that controls a sodium channel; stimulated by kainic acid.
Metabotropic glutamate receptor
A category of metabotropic receptors that are sensitive to glutamate.
AP5 (2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoate)
A drug that blocks the glutamate binding site on NMDA receptors.
PCP
Phencyclidine; a drug that binds with the PCP binding site of the NMDA receptor and serves as an indirect antagonist.
GABA
An amino acid; the most important inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain.
Allylglyicine
A drug that inhibits the activity of GAD and thus blocks the synthesis of GABA.
Muscimal
A direct agonist for the GABA binding site of the GABA-A receptor.
Bicuculline
A direct antagonist for the GABA binding site on the GABA-A receptor.
Benzodiazepine
Category of anxiolytic drugs; an indirect agonist for the GABA-A receptor.
Anxiolytic
An anxiety-reducing effect.
Glycine
An amino acid; an important inhibitory neurotransmitter in the lower brain stem and spinal cord.
Strychnine
Direct antagonist for the glycine receptor.
Endogenous opioid
Class of peptides secreted by the brain that act as opiates.
Enkephalin
One of the endogenous opioids.
Naloxone
Drug that blocks opiate receptors.
Endocannabinoid
Lipid; endogenous ligand for cannabinoid receptors, which also bind with THC, the active ingredient of marijuana.
THC
Active ingredient of marijuana; activates CB1 receptors in the brain.
Anandamide
The first cannabinoid to be discovered and probably the most important one.
FAAH
Fatty acid anandamide hydrolase, the enzyme that destroys anandamide after it is brought back into the cell by anandamide transporters.
Rimonabant
Drug that blocks CB1 receptors.
MAFP
Drug that inhibits FAAH; presents the breakdown of anandamide.
AM1172
Drug that inhibits the reuptake of anandamide.
Adenosine
nucleoside; a combination of ribose and adenine; serves as a neuromodulator in the brain.
Caffeine
Drug that blocks adenosine receptors.
Nitric oxide (NO)
Gas produced by cells in the nervous system; used as a means of communication between cells.
Nitric oxide synthase
The enzyme responsible for the production of nitric oxide.
