Chapter 5 Flashcards
Drug
any substance that changes the body or its functioning
Agonists
mimic or enhances a neurotransmitter
Antagonist
may reduce release of neurotransmitter or block receptors
psychoactive drug
those that have psychological effects
addiction is identified by…
-preoccupation with obtaining a drug
-compulsive use of drug in spite of adverse consequences
-a high tendency to relapse
withdrawal
negative reaction that occurs when drug use is stopped
tolerance
person becomes less responsive to the drug, requiring increasing amounts of the drug to produce the same result
Opiates are derived from…
opium poppy
Effects of opiates
- analgesic (pain relief)
- hypnotic (sleep-inducing)
- euphoric (strong feelings of happiness)
Opiates mimic…
endorphins
Types of Opiates
morphine, codeine, laudanum, paregoric
morphine
-used to treat pain
-discovered in 1800s
codeine
-an ingredient in opium
-used as a cough suppressant
laudanum
-diluted form of opium
-used to treat diarrhea and pain
paregoric
-diluted opium
-used to quiet fretful children
Opiods
synthesized form of opiates
Heroin (opioid)
-produces an immediate, intense euphoria
-most notoriously abused drug
Conditioned or Learned tolerance
a learned association develops between tolerance and the environment in which it debelops
Depressants
drugs that reduce nervous system activity
Effects of depressants
-sedation
-anxiolytic (anxiety reduction)
-hypnotic
Types of depressants
alcohol and barbituates and benzos
Alcohol
-depresses cortical inhibition, reducing social constraints and anxiety
-withdraw can produce delirium temens
Delirium tremens
hallucinations, delusions, confusion, and in extreme cases seizures and possible death
How does alcohols affect neurotransmitters
-inhibites glutamate
-increases the release of GABA
- GABA opens chloride channels which hyper-polarizes the cell
Barbituates
-used to treat anxiety and insomnia
-increases release of GABA
Benzodiazepines
-safer for treating anxiety
-act at the benzodiazepine receptor on Gaba receptor
-reduced activity in limbic system, hippocampus, brain stem and cortex
Stimulants
active the CNS to produce arousal
Effects of stimulants
-increase alertness
-relieves fatigue
-decreases appetite
-elevates mood
Types of Stimulants
-caffeine, cocaine, amphetamines, nictoine
Caffeine
blocks receptors for adenosine, increasing the amount of dopamine and acetylcholine
Cocaine
-extracted from cocoa plant
-blocks dopamine and serotonin reuptake
Amphetamines
-a group of synthetic drugs that produce euphoria, increase confidence, snd concentration
-increase release of norepinephrine and dopamine
Nicotine
-stimulates nicotine acetylcholine receptors
-in PNS, activates muscles and may cause twitching
-in CNS, produces increased alertness and faster response to stimulation
Psychadelixs
compounds that cause perceptual distortions
Types of psychadelics
LSD, mushrooms, PCPs, Ecstasy (MDMA)
Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD)
-structurally similar to serotonin
-stimulates serotonin receptors
Mushrooms
-contain psychedelic compounds psilocybin and psilocin
-produce predominantly visual hallucinations
Phencyclidine (PCP)
-created to be an anesthetic
-activates dopamine pathways and inhibits glutamate receptors
Ecstasy (MDMA)
-psychomotor stimulant at low doses (releases dopamine)
-hallucinogenic at higher doses (released serotonin)
Marijuana
-dried leaves and flowers of the hemp plant
- active agent is Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)
THC
-binds to the endogenous cannibinoid receptors
-causes increase in dopamine
Effects of marijuana
-memory
-cogniton
-IQ
-possible reductions in hippocampus and amygdala size
-impaired frontal love functioning in offspring
Reward
positive effect an object or condition has on a user
Mesolimbic Pathway
-VTA -> nucleus accumbens -> cortex
-incentive salience and addition
Mesocortical Pathway
-VTA -> frontal lobe
-essential to normal cognitive control, motivation, and emotion
Agonists Treatments
-mimic drugs effects
Partial Agonist Treatment
-mimic drug more weakly
-allows for ceiling effect
Antagonist Treatment
-block drug effects
Aversive Treatment
-cause an unpleasant reaction when the drug is used
Anti-drug vaccines
-stimulate immune system to make antibodies that degrade the drug
SSRIs
-increases serotonin
Retrograde messaging
-post synaptic cell releases cannabinoid which binds to the presynaptic neuron to control the release of the neurotransmitter
-THC binds to the receptor on the presynaptic neuron which releases more dopamine
