Chapter 14: Cannabis Flashcards
1
Q
Hemp Plant
A
Cannabis Sativa
2
Q
What is the main active ingredient in cannabis
A
9-tetrahydrocannabinol
3
Q
Three main cannabinoids of focus. what does each do?
A
1) 8THC: gets you stoned
2) Cannabinol CBN: alters metabolism of 9THC
3) Cannabidiol CBD: has therapeutic actions (use of medical marijuana). helps anxiety
4
Q
T/F: cannabidiol gets you high
A
no. thats byproduct 8THC. cannabidiol produces therapeutic effects and does not get you high in the process because there is no thc
5
Q
T/F: active ingredients produced by 9:THC is dependent upon preparation and route of administration.
A
true. there are chemical differences between oral and inhalation, causing different POTENCY levels.
6
Q
Which method of administration produces cannabinoids with highest potency?
A
inhalation.
7
Q
what is CBD (cannabidiol) turned into when burned?
A
converted into 9THC.
8
Q
if exposed to light or air, the 9THC in marijuana can get converted into ____. What happens to the metabolism?
A
Cannabinol. This speeds up the metabolism and breakdown of the drug in the body
9
Q
Is THC acid or basic? Is it ionized in bodily fluids?
A
a weak acid, but it’s pka is 10.6, so it is not ionized at the pH of bodily fluids.
10
Q
is THC fat soluble?
A
yes. that is why it is easy to bake pot brownies ;)
11
Q
adding oil to THC extract ___ absorption
A
increases/speeds up absorption.
12
Q
Is there considerable first pass metabolism if you orally take THC?
A
yes. inhalation by passes first pass metabolism and may result in you getting 3x more THC than oral tablets.
13
Q
Which route of administration will cause longer effects? oral or inhalation?
A
oral intake will last longer but will not be as potent. inhalation will have fast acting but short duration effects.
14
Q
How does a bong help with inhalation of THC?
A
a bong is a water pipe that COOLS smoke and prevents loss of drug in side stream smoke.
15
Q
which method of administration is most likely to causenausea or vomiting?
A
oral
16
Q
how do vaporizers work? Are they better health-wise than bongs?
A
vaporizers heat THC oil to its boiling point where the person can inhale the vapors. vapors increase pulmonary function without decreasing the concentration of THC that ends up entering the body
17
Q
T/F: THC levels in the brain continue to increase for several hours after the drug has been consumed.
A
true. the peak “high” produced by different doses of THC administered lags behind the peak blood levels of THC
18
Q
where does most metabolism of THC occur?
A
in the liver
19
Q
what does 9 THC turn into?
A
11 THC?
20
Q
9THC vs 11THC in terms of blood brain barrier permeability
A
11 THC penetrates the blood brain barrier more easily
21
Q
why are traces of THC able to be found even after weeks of smoking?
A
because it is so lipid soluble that it stays in the fat longer
22
Q
how does Cannabidiol effect metabolism of THC?
A
it slows metabolism by blocking the enzyme that degrades 9THC
23
Q
If you burn CBD, it turns into ____. If you don’t burn CBD and administer it in another method, it ____
A
If you burn CBD, it turns into 9THC. If you don’t burn CBD and administer it in another method, it BLOCKS metabolism of 9THC
24
Q
how does cannabinol effect metabolism of THC?
A
it speeds up the metabolism of THC.
25
in addition to changing metabolism of THC, what else does CBD and CBN do to THC?
it may displace bound THC from binding sites in the blood and increase the about of THC that's available to cross into the brain.
26
people with _____ amount of body fat will have shorter time of THC detection in their blood.
people with LESS amount of body fat will have shorter time of THC detection in their blood.
27
Explain the phases of THC excretion
1) initial phase. 9THC levels fall rapidly, with an initial half life of 30 min as they get redistributed into the fat.
2) later phase. metabolism is slowed. dependent on how fast THC is released from the fat stores. fat people will take longer to excrete THC.
28
are cannabinoid receptors metabotropic or ionotropic
metabotropic
29
what second messengers are CB receptors coupled to?
cAMP second messengers
30
CB1 receptors are mainly found in the ___
CNS
31
CB2 receptors are mainly found ___
outside the nervous system altogether.
32
CB receptors often use ____transmission
retrograde transmission
33
receptors are often found on ___ synaptic neurons
PREsynaptic neurons.
34
what results from activation of CB receptors?
activation results in depolarization induced suppression of excitation (DSE) OR depolarization induced suppression of inhibition (DSI) depending on whether CB1 receptor is located on a terminal containing excitatory or inhibitory neurotransmitters.
35
if CB1 receptor activation occurs on a cell that houses GABA, what would happen? (DSE or DSI)?
CB1 activation will inhibit the cell from firing and thus no GABA will be released. There will be a suppression of INHIBITION. there will be a DSI. there will be more brain activity because there is no inhibition happening.
( - ) x ( - ) = +
CB1 x GABA= +
36
if CB1 receptor activation occurs on a cell that houses glutamate, what would happen? (DSE or DSI)? What is the overall brain effect?
CB1 activation will inhibit glutamate. glutamate is excitatory. there will be an inhibition of excitation. DSE.
There is less brain activation happening, thus, the overall brain effect is inhibitory because of the DSE. (-CB1 x +glu effect= -)
37
primary location of CB2 receptors
on immune function organs and spleen
38
what chemical in chocolate binds to Cb1 receptors?
anadamide in chocolate also binds to CB1
39
what reasoning may account for the biphasic effects of cannabis?
widespread distribution of Cb1 affects many different transmitter systems including the Periaquaductal grey (pain) and the NAcc (mesolimbic dopamine system)
40
endogenous substances that bind to CB receptors
endocannabinoids
41
T/F: endocannabinoids have longer lasting and greater effect on cannabinoid receptors than THC because they are natural and bind the best to the receptor
false. THC causes larger degrees of effects than endocannabinoids
42
explain the mechanism of neuromodulation that occurs.
1) a presynaptic cell is firing some transmitter (ex/ glutamate)
2) the post synaptic cell is getting activated because glutamate is excitatory. it releases what ever transmitter it is supposed to release, but it also releases an ENDOCANNABINOID
3) the endocannabinoid from the post synaptic cell binds to the CB1 receptor of the pre synaptic cell, inhibiting it's function
4) the pre synaptic cell fires glutamate, and now it is inhibited by CB1, which triggers second messengers, causing a depolarization-induced suppression of excitation (DSE), because glutamate is excitatory.
43
primary locations of CB1 receptors
```
hypothalamus (appetite)
amygdala (emotion (chill))
cerebellum (fine motor control)
Striatum (motor and reward)
basal ganglia (motor)
hippocampus (memory)
neocortex (upper level thinking)
brain stem and spinal cord (depresses vomiting center)
```
44
how do cannabinoid receptor activation influence the mesolimbic dopamine system?
activation of CB1 receptors on glutamate neurons that activate GABA interneurons result in DSE, reducing amount of glutamate, turning the GABA interneurons off. This results in excess dopamine flowing the mesolimbic pathway
45
endocannabinoid known as internal bliss
anadamide
46
another example of endocannabinoids that is not anadamide
2-arachidonoylglycerol
47
endocannabinoids typically act as ____, that alter the functioning of ____ (which transmitters)
neuromodulators, that alter the functioning of NE, DA, 5-HT, Ach, GABA, Histamine (like all of them)
48
in addition to binding to CB1 and Cb2, endocannabinoids also bind to ____, which is involved in ___
vannilloid receptor 1, involved in thermal reception and temperature related stimulation.
49
why do chilli peppers make your tongue feel like its burning?
it contains capsaicin, which gets bound to vannilloid receptor 1 (TRPV1), which is involved in thermal reception and temp related stimulation.
50
depression related effects may be related to modulation of serotonergic systems in the ___
dorsal raphe nuclei
51
why may cannabis regulate memory and cognitive processes?
because Cb1 activation modulates (decreases) glutamate functions in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, resulting in decreased ability to form memory.
52
why may cannabis regulate pain?
because Cb1 activation decreased Periaquaductal gray activity.
53
novel object exploration with cannabis and rats, possible confounds?
rats on cannabis showed less curiosity and less exploration of the new objects. researchers attributed this to lessened anxiety
confound: it may be due to less curiosity and motivation to explore, not due to lack of anxiety.
54
rimonabant is a CB1 receptor ___
antagonist
55
how can endocannabinoids be broken down?
FAAH. Fatty Acid Amid Hydrolase
56
CB1 receptor activation results in ____ time in open arm exploration of an elevated plus maze
CB1 receptor activation results in INCREASED time in open arm exploration of an elevated plus maze
57
FAAH inhibition (like taking URB597) ____ time in open arm exploration of elevtated plus mze
increases time. there is less cannabinoid broken down (more cannabinoid available in the synapse) and thus the animal experiences less anxiety
58
if you were to give a rat that had FAAH inhibition rimonabant, how would it affects its time in the elevated plus maze?
it would decrease its time in open arm exploration. the rat was originially FAAH-inibited, meaning that its endocannabinoids were not getting broken down, relieving it's anxiety. Giving it Rimonabant, a CB1 antagonist, will block CB1 receptors and thus Cannabinoids can no longer exert their calming effects, increasing anxiety and reducing time in open arm exploration.
59
FAAH -/- rats lack the gene that codes for ____
FAAH. they have way less anxiety because there is nothing breaking down their endocannabinoids.
60
giving rimonabant to a FAAH -/- rat will ____ its time in an open arm elevated plus maze.
giving rimonabant to a FAAH -/- rat will decrease its time in an open arm elevated plus maze.
normally, a rat with NO FAAH will have high levels of endocannabinoids because FAAH usually breaks them down. There is a lot of synaptic cannabinoid in an FAAH -/- rat, making it have less anxiety. If you give it rimonabant, which blocks CB1 receptors, the endocannabinoids cannot exert their effects, increasing their levels of anxiety. A rat on rimonabant will have decreased time spent in the open arms of the maze because it is more anxious.
61
how does 9THC help glaucoma? how might 9THC increase chances of glaucoma?
help treat it by reducing fluid pressure in the eyeball, but it may reduce pressure too much, lowering the blood flow to the eye completely, which isn't good either.
62
what type of cannabinoid is effective by acting as an antiepileptic or anticonvulsant?
cannabidiol. doesn't make you high but it has therapeautif effects.
63
T/F: CNS pain centers are less responsive to pain after cannabinoid administration
true. cannabidiol and derivatives may be good at treating opioid-induced hyperalgesia and is promising for treating opioid addicted patients.
64
Blocking CB1 spinal cord receptors ____ sensitivity to pain
increases
65
medically useful effects of 9THC
antiemetic: stops nausea
glaucoma
antiepileptic
pain reduction
66
why does smoking marijuana cause blood shot eyes?
there is dilation of blood vessels in the whites of the eyes.
67
describe the biphasic effects of marijuana on sleep
at low doses, it causes drowsiness and increased sleep time,
at high doses, causes restless ness and insomnia.
68
T/F: the biphasic effects of alcohol on sleep is the same as marijuana
false. at low doses, alcohol makes you hyper and funny. at high doses, it makes you drowsy and you pass out.
69
possible theory as to why people feel less pain when high
changes in thalamic gating and gate control theory
70
T/F: marijuana makes time go by slowly
false. amphetamines make time go slowly. Marijuana makes time pass faster because there is a decrease in cerebellar blood flow.
71
T/F: mood ratings correlate with how much one has smoked
false. your mood depends on other around you.
72
T/F: cannabinoids are associated with heightened sensitivity.
false. Cannabinoids decrease sensitivity, but they do not change auditory, visual or tactile thresholds.
73
what type of memory is compromised upon taking cannabinoids
short term memory
74
temporal disintegration
loss of the ability to retain and coordinate information with a purpose. when high, people will often start a sentence and forget to finish it.
75
problems with memory while high is similar to _____ syndrome, which is the difficulty encoding new memories as a result ofdamage to the limbic system and hippocampus
korsakoff's syndrome.
76
which brain structure is compromised with high levels of cannabis use during adolescence?
kids who smoked pot as teens have smaller hippocampus's responsible for memory
77
How do high people do on the macworth clock task?
they do poorly. they have deficits on tasks requiring vigilance, attention and memory. people get easily distracted as a part of temporal disintegration
78
how does marijuana effect driving skills?
they don't have an affect on a person's ability to drive a car, but they do affect peripheral stimuli detection, like being able to see a pedestrian for example, or notice that the light is red.
79
driving impairment under the influence of marijuana is amplified by the consumption of ___
alcohol
80
Cannabis ____ the risk of collisions resulting in injury or death
cannabis doubled the risk of collisions resulting in injury or death
81
the _____ test measures gaze nystagmus as a method of determining of someone is high on marijuana
standardized field sobriety test
82
Effect of marijuana on taming and avoidance and escape tasks
marijuana causes a taming effect.
| marijuana blocks avoidance but does not block escape.
83
effect of marijuana in punishment suppressed behavior
no increase in punishment suppressed behavior, like opioids.
84
marijuana and alcohol have the same effects on punishment suppressed behavior
false, alcohol produces disinhibition which increases punishment suppressed behavior, but marijuana does not increase punishment suppressed behavior
85
describe the effects on SMA
THC has a biphasic effect on spontaneous motor activity.
Low doses: increase in activity
high doses: ataxia; loss of motor control.
86
T/F: CBD has analgesic effects.
false. CBN has analgesia effects, but no analgesia effects were found for CBD.
87
example of marijuana dissociation
people who learned things while high could not transfer the information when they were not high.
88
What does 9THC generalize to? What does THC not generalize to?
9THC generalized to 8THC and 11 THC, but not to cannabidiol. (recall, cannabidiol gets metabolized to 9THC)
no generalization/ large discrimination from other classes of drugs like hallucinogens and stimulants and opioids
89
how can discrimination effects of 9THC be reduced?
by giving a cannabinoid receptor blocker/antagonist
90
How does a person get tolerant to THC effects?
there is a decrease in the number of cannabinoid receptors in selected brain areas. it is not due to alterations in absorption, metabolism or distribution
91
T/F: people get tolerant to muchies side effects
false
92
at what point in the withdrawal process does "inner unrest" start after taking high doses of THC?
after 6 hours
93
what may be the reason behind thc withdrawal symptoms?
probably compensatory mechanisms.
94
T/F: marijuana follows a cyclical pattern of administration
false. if available, marijuana consumption tended to be the same every day
95
marijuana users often ____ doses of marijuana to achieve a nice high
they titrate doses
96
reinforcing effect of marijuana seems to ____ as THC content in the joints increase
seems to increase. people prefer a joint with 1.95% THC rather than a joint with 0.65% THC.
97
marijuana psychosis
marijuana can precipitate full-blown psychosis in people with psychotic tendencies. It will also intensify schizophrenic tendencies that already exist.
98
T/F: marijuana causes schizophrenia
False. marijuana is correlated with schizophrenia but is not causal
99
What is a freak out and when does it occur
a freakout is a psychotic reaction involving panic, hallucinations, perceptual distortions, loss of reality and feeling insane. freak outs occur when the drug is taken at high doses during stressful circumstances.
100
how can you treat a freak out
by trying to calm them down or by giving them a BDZ in extreme circumstances.
101
an increase in apathy, impaired verbal ability, decreases in motivation and increases in introversion are characteristics of ____
amotivation syndrome.
102
How has cannabis affected intelligence?
people using marijuana in early adolescence have lower IQ's than people who did not. shows that THC may have some neurotoxic effects.
103
proof of amotivational syndrome in monkeys
monkeys usually work very hard for banana treats. when given canabis, the breaking point for the banana treats were much later, and they would not try as hard for it. this showed they did not care about the treats and that the treats had less reinforcing effects. demonstrates amotivational syndrome
104
Cannabis use an anxiety, does cannabis actually treat anxiety?
adolescent cannabis use was found to double the incident rate of anxiety disorders in adulthood, even if the people stopped smoking pot when they were adults.
105
T/F: marijuana is a gate way drug
false. there is no hard evidence that marijuana is a gate way drug. often times, people who have done hard drugs have done marijuana before because they were around crowds that have had multitudes of different drugs.
106
T/F: smoke from marijuana is more carcinogenic than tobacco smoke. Does marijuana cause cancer?
true, there are more carcinogens in marijuana smoke. it is not conclusive that THC causes cancer because people who smoke pot often smoke cigarettes and there are confounding factors. there is also a study that shows that CBD and 9THC are ANTIOXIDANTS, so everything in its relation to cancer is confusing.
