Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

PSYC 207 > (7) psychostimulants > Flashcards

(7) psychostimulants Flashcards

1
Q

What are psychostimulants?

A
  • “sympathomimetics”: mimics activity in SNS
  • elevate mood
  • increased energy & stamina
  • commonly used for medicinal purposes
  • commonly abused
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What is ephedra?

A
  • naturally derived, found almost everywhere
  • contains ephedrine & pseudoephedrine
  • used as decongestant (Sudafed)
  • also used for weight loss, increased energy, etc.
  • banned from USA in 2004 (but not Canada)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What are amphetamines?

A
  • laboratory synthesis
  • useful in congestion, narcolepsy, weight loss, ADHD, “performance enhancement”
  • aka Benzedrine, Adderall, Vyvanse, “speed”, d-amphetamine:
    • aside: optical isomers (D & L), aka enantiomers, racemic mixtures
      • racemic mixture: pill/inhaler has D & L - amphetamine
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What is methamphetamine?

A
  • semi-synthetic: synthesised from ephedrine/pseudoephedrine
  • aka Desoxyn, “crystal meth”
  • similar history to amphetamine (e.g. WWII)
  • still sometimes used for ADHD, congestion
  • primarily street drug
  • v. high addiction potential
  • stimulant psychosis frequent w/ high doses: show positive symptoms of schizophrenia
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What is methylphenidate?

A
  • laboratory synthesis
  • aka Ritalin, Concerta, “kiddie coke”
  • similar effect to amphetamine
  • but effects weaker & shorter-lasting: only until noon
  • often preferred as childhood ADHD prescription
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What is cathinone?

A
  • derived from khat plant
  • e.g. khat (Catha edulis), bath salts (synthetic)
  • khat relatively benign but treated like menace
  • bath salts less benign
  • similar mechanism to other psychostimulants
  • synthesised from cathinone:
    • Mephedrone
    • Methylone
    • Methylenedioxypyrovalerone
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What are synthetic cathinones?

A
  • v. potent, level similar to methamphetamine
  • strong effects
  • changes to monoamine systems
  • experience psychosis
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What is cocaine?

A
  • derived from coca plant
  • coca used for ages
  • also anaesthetic, analgesic & blood vessel constrictor
  • cocaine prep: base → salt → base
  • salt: insufflated, injected
  • free base: inhaled (i.e. crack cocaine)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What patten can be discerned by examing drug type and addictive potential?

A

ephedra, khat, coca:

  • used for thousands of years w/ almost no consequences
  • ingested: lower bio availability

semi-synthetics & synthetics (methamphetamine, synthetic cathinones, cocaine):

  • associated w/ potentially adverse outcomes
  • inhaled/insufflated: higher bio availability
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What are the basic pharmacokinetic properties of psychostimulants, including time to peak effect, active metabolites, polydrug use and elimination rates?

A

route of administration: more directly to blood stream, more intense & faster peak effect

biotransformation: when drugs metabolised, can produce active metabolites
- active metabolites extend time of drug effect
- metabolites that result from polydrug use, e.g. cocaethylene, ethylphenidate

elimination/half-lives:

  • amphetamines: 10-11 hours
  • methylphenidate: 2 hours
  • cathinones: 1.5 hours
  • cocaine: 1 hour
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What are the pharmacodynamic actions of amphetamine and cocaine?

A

amphetamine:

  1. affects vesicles
    • go into vesicles & displace DA
    • push DA from vesicles into axon terminal
  2. reverse DA transporters, more DA released

cocaine:

  1. reuptake inhibitor: blocks DA transporter
  2. vesicular transporter: pack more DA than usual into vesicles
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Do psychostimulants only increase dopamine neurotransmission? What is DAT, NET and SERT?

A
  • no, usually affect multiple monoamine systems
  • DAT, NET, SERT all very similar
  • DAT: dopamine transporter
  • NET: norepinephrine transporter
  • SERT: serotonin transporter
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What are the pharmacological effects of psychostimulants? (objective-physiological)

A
  • increased HR
  • blood-vessel constriction (high BP)
  • airway relaxation
  • pupil dilation
  • dry mouth (reduced salivation)
  • inhibited digestion
  • increased body temp
  • tooth decay w/ chronic use
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What are the pharmacological effects of psychostimulants? (objective-behavioural)

A
  • psychosis, including hallucinations

- increased motor activity

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What are the pharmacological effects of psychostimulants? (subjective)

A
  • increased energy, alertness
  • improved sense of well-being (low dose)
  • euphoria (higher dose)
  • anxiousness
  • agitation
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What are the behavioural effects of psychostimulants?

A
  • low doses increase purposeful behaviour

- higher doses increase purposeless behaviour: stereotypy, punding

17
Q

What is stereotypy?

A

stereotyped behaviour of species

18
Q

What is punding?

A

nail biting, teeth grinding, skin scratching

19
Q

What are the subjective effects of psychostimulants?

A
  • similar across most: drug-discrimination studies - amphetamine (high) & cocaine (sober)
  • lower doses: increased sense of alertness, of energy & of well-being
  • higher doses: rush/euphoria
20
Q

What factors confer an increased risk of psychostimulant addiction?

A
  • route of administration & polydrug use are predictors
  • women more likely
  • genetic differences: predisposed to feeling effects
    • drug metabolism
    • positive effects
    • negative effects: polymorphism - decreases ability to convert dopamine into norepinephrine
  • addiction directly related to dopamine release onto nucleus accumbens
21
Q

What are the primary phases of recovery?

A
  1. detoxification: abstaining from drug & adaptations in system going away
  2. relapse
22
Q

What are the numerous treatment types for relapse and why are they unsuccessful?

A
  • disulfiram
  • modafinil
  • tricyclic antidepressants
  • anticonvulsant drugs
  • vaccine?
  • not changing environment, individual’s cues & circumstances
23
Q

What is disulfiram?

A
  • reduces positive effects of psychostimulant use
  • prevents DA from turning into NE → creates unpleasant feeling
  • low compliance: stop using drug before stop using psychostimulant
24
Q

What is modafinil?

A
  • psychostimulant, safer

- drug replacement therapy: give safer alternative

25
Q

What are tricyclic antidepressants?

A
  • reduce cravings & depression associated w/ detox & withdrawal
  • low efficacy
26
Q

What are anticonvulsant drugs?

A
  • drugs for epilepsy (prone to seizures, convulsions)

- decrease brain function, increase GABA function

27
Q

What does a vaccine do?

A
  • create antibodies
  • bind to & destroy drug before reach targets in brain
  • high antibody: no big difference to low antibody & placebo
28
Q

If people with ADHD are hyperactive, why do stimulants improve their symptoms?

A
  • ADHD: extreme inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity
  • psychostimulants (amphetamine, methylphenidate) improve symptoms
  • hypothesis: ADHD driven by low DAfunction
  • low & high levels of arousal: poor performance
  • ADHD: at far left, v. low levels of arousal
29
Q

How is the Yerks-Dodson curve seen in PFC monoamines?

A
  • PFC functioning related to levels of DA & NE in PFC: more stress/arousal, more cathecholamines released into PFC
    • inadequate amount: inappropriate network connections
    • appropriate amount:
      • neurons organise themselves into smart networks of activity
      • pay attention to 1 aspect of task/environment/cognition & attention
    • too much: neurons stop firing, networks disconnected
30
Q

What are cathecholamines?

A

dopamines & norepinephrine

31
Q

What are long-term effects of psychostimulant use in ADHD?

A
  • difficult to study/capture
  • but most fears haven’t been borne out
  • “normalising effect” on brain devleopment in ADHD:
    • ADHD has developmental effects on brain that medication attenuates
    • jury’s not out
  • no effects on weight/cardiovascular/etc.
32
Q

What is drug diversion?

A

pressure to sell prescription drug for performance enhancement

33
Q

What are nootropics and the pattern with all known nootropics?

A
  • nootropic: smart drug, cognitive enhancer
  • no support for other putative nootropics: racetams, ginseng, ginkgo biloba, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, etc.
  • leads to interesting ethical questions
  • common drugs that are nootropics (modestly): amphetamine, methylphenidate, modafinil, caffeine, nicotine
    • pattern: all psychostimulants
34
Q

What are the adverse effects of psychostimulants?

A
  • cardiovascular dysfunction:
    • high doses: cocaine is Na+ channel blocker
    • increased SNS output
  • pulmonary dysfunction
  • “meth mouth”
  • psychostimulant-induced psychosis: formication
  • some evidence for neuron damage
  • developmental? “crack” babies:
    • control for other factors, no long lasting effect
    • stable, healthy, secure home: don’t see negative effects
    • hard socioeconomic conditions: demonstrate cognitive/developmental related impairments later
35
Q

What is “meth mouth”?

A

less likely to brush teeth, damage to gums, less salivation, sugary foods

36
Q

What is formication?

A

feeling of bugs crawling under skin

37
Q

What are “crack” babies?

A

babies exposed to cocaine when in mother’s body

PSYC 207 (12 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions