Chapter 5 Flashcards
Drug
medicine or other substance that changes the body’s functioning
- sugar is technically a drug
Agonists
mimic or enhance the effects of a neurotransmitter
Antagonists
block the function of a neurotransmitter
- occupy the receptor so the neurotransmitter can’t bind to that receptor, does not actually do anything
Psychoactive Drugs
drugs with psychological effects such as anxiety relief or hallucinations
- addictive drugs create sense of pleasure initially but are always s=psychoactive drugs
Dependence
need to keep taking the drug to maintain homeostasis
Homeostasis
body baseline; when it is resting
- where we want to be
Physical Dependence
need that drug to maintain the physical symptoms; like heart rate
Psychological Dependence
avoid psychological symptoms like anxiety, insomnia
Tolerance
more of the drug required to produce the same effects
- tolerance and dependence are independent; you can have one without the other
- is classical conditioning
Addiction
preoccupation with obtaining a drug, compulsive use, and a tendency to relapse after quitting
- obsession with the drug itself not necessarily with the effects itself
Withdrawal
negative reaction when drug use is stopped
- opposite reaction of the drug itself
- negative side effects
Most people overdose because
they take their same amount of drug in a new environment but the CS is not present and the body does not produce the symptoms that help reduce the effects of the drug
- your body is not triggered by the CS so the same amount has a bigger effect
Opium
papaver somniferum means ‘sleepbringing’
- cultivation and use has been recorded for centuries; 1500 BCE and 1200 BCE
- reintroduced to Europe during the crusades
- tinctures common in victorian England
Opiate
- ## natural narcotic opiod alkaloids found in the opium poppy
Opioid
any natural or synthetic compound or the endogenous peptides that exert biological effects at the opioid receptors
- we have naturally produced endogenous peptides in our bodies
Heroin
most notoriously abused opiate; synthesized from morphine
- highly soluble lipid molecule; passes right through the blood-brain barrier
- hits immediately but leaves just as quickly
- morphine in disguise
Endogenous Endorphine
bodies own neurotransmitters for receptors opioid drugs act on
Endogenous
generated within the body
Endorphins
endogenous opioids
- make you happy
Depressants
drugs that reduce CNS activity
Sedative
drugs that calm
Anxiolytic
drug that reduces anxiety
Hypnotic
calming zened out state
Alcohol
most common and widely abused depressant
- ethanol; drug made from ferematenated fruits grains; the fermented sugar is what the alcohol is
- produce euphoria, reduce anxiety, in larger doses creates problems with motor, is sedative, can reduce activity throughout the brain
- only drug that you can die from during withdrawal
- can easily pass through the placenta and cause FAS; alters how the genes are read
Barbiturates
drugs that in small amounts act selectively on higher cortical centrism especially those involved in inhibiting behaviour
- low does increases social interactions and more talkative
- high doses; sedative and hypnotics
- extremely dangerous and have a narrow safety margin; size of doses between low and high doses is extremely small
- highly addictive and tolerance develops easily
Delirium Tremens
severe reaction to alcohol withdrawal resulting in hallucination, delusions, confusing, and in extreme cases seizures and possible death
- happens when you stop drinking suddenly
Benzodiazepines
drugs that act at benzodiazepine receptor on the GABAA complex to produce anxiety reduction, sedation, and muscle relaxation
- have a larger safety margin; can be used as an anesthesia
GABA Receptor Site
receptor for GABA (inhibitory), allows chloride to flood into the cell
- barbiturates can open receptor by itself; GABA does not have to be present
- Benzodiazepines can’t open it without GABA being present but when GABA is there, it keeps it open. longer
Stimulants
active the CNS to produce e arousal, increased alertness, and elevated mood
Cocaine
extracted from South American coca plant
- produces euphoria, decreases appetite, increases alertness, and relieves fatigue
- more concentrated form of the coca plant
- used to be used as an anesthetic
- used to be in coco cola
- mild withdrawal but still very addictive
Amphetamines
group of synthetic drugs that produce euphoria and increase confidence and concentration
- used to treat ADHD
- meth is a bad amphetamines, powerful, makes you feel confident
- many individuals can’t tell the difference between meth and cocaine because the effects are so similar
Bath Salts
variety of synthetic drugs related to cathinone, a stimulant found in the khat (cathartic edulis) plant
- look like epitome salts
- considered a designer drug; alter the chemical compound to make it have to same function but have ‘legal’ makeup
- cause psychosis, delirium, become violent, and you can overdose
Powder Cocaine
nasally or mixed with water and injected
- urine tests cannot detect powered cocaine, can only detect crack cocaine
Freebase cocaine
hydrochloric acid salt removed, and is smoked
- reaches the brain faster so it is more addictive
Crack Cocaine
- add baking soda to freebase cocaine
- less pure form than powdered
- solid form
- can be smoked and it gives you pure cocaine vapour
- lower in cost cause it’s less pure
How does Cocaine Work?
block reuptake of dopamine and serotonin so they stick around in the synapse longer so we get the euphoric feeling
- can decrease IQ in offspring
chronic meth use
psychotic symptoms
- reduces grey matter, hippocampus matter,
- teeth fall out
Nicotine
primary psychoactive and addictive agent in tobacco
- activates the nicaotenist acitocholine receptor
- agonist for acitoholine
- is a stimulant but has relaxing qualities
- withdrawal is anxiety, drowsiness and headaches
- easy to develop tolerance, very addictive
- can cause brain damage
- appetite suppressant
- leading cause of preventable deaths
- low birth weight, asthma, 56% mortality rate for children of mothers who smoke; less grey matter and brain volume
- second hand smoke can cause mesalation
Caffeine
active ingredient in coffee and tea, which produces arousal, increases alertness, and decreased sleepiness
- most widely consumed psychoactive drug
- health benefits in moderation but also subject to abuse
- can be lethal, 72 cups of coffee a day
- only a problem if u are on other stimulant drugs
- withdrawal symptoms headaches, fatigue, anxiety, shakes, and cravings which last 1-2 weeks
Psychedelic Drugs
compounds that cause perceptual distortions in the user
- expand the senses, increase insight
- hallucinogenic drugs but don’t always cause hallucinations
- ability to enter consciousness and rewarding effects
- feeling of ecstasy
- 2 legal ones
Serotonergic
stimulate serotonin receptors, agonists for serotonin
-produce sensory distortions like vibrant colours, geometric shapes
- LSD
- mushrooms
-DNT
Catecholaminergic
resembles an amphetamines and epinephrine/ dopamine
- stimulant and hallucinogenic
- ecstasy/ Molly/MDMA
- ecstasy more dangerous because it is also a stimulant
- low doses; can cause hyperactivity and hyperthermia, increase energy, sexual arousal
- treatment of PTSD when combined with psychotherapy
- high doses can hallucinations
NMDA Receptor Agonists
inhibit a type of glutamate receptor
- started as an anaesthetic
- use these drugs to replicate symptoms of schizophrenia
- PCP, ketamine
Designer Drugs
synthetic drugs that are crated from chemicals; way to make it harder t be illegal because fo the ever-changing formula and ingredients
- much more dangerous because of this
Marijuana
dried and crushed leaves and flowers of the plant fo cannabis sativa
- long term use; reduce hippocampus and amygdala volume, white matter impaired loss mylienation with corpus callosum and hippocampus
- when you stop using, you regain these functions
- synthetic marijuana can be lethal
- legalization decreased social stigma, decreases usage rates and addiction rate
THC
major psychoactive drug within marijuana
Cannabinoid
group of compounds including anandamide and 2-AG
- body produces these themselves, have their own receptors
- marijuana and THC bind to these receptors
Hash
dried resin of the plant which is particularly high in THC
THC
- impaired cognition, distortion of time, motor coordination, and memory
- increase dopamine release so mild euphoria and sense of wellbeing
Addiction
neither pleasurable affect from a drug nor withdrawal fully account for drug use motivation
- overtime, you loose euphoric feelings from drug
Reward
used to think control addiction however not the only thing
- positive effect an object or condition has on the user
- we think this is what makes someone an addict but not keep them one
Mesolimbic Pathway
reward circuit
- made up of ventral segmental area and nucleus accumbent
How does the Mesolimbic Pathway Work?
sends dopamine to the nucleus accumbent
- every drug target dopamine and the nucleus accumbens
- natural reward circuit
- we actively seek out things that active this system
VTA
send dopamine to the nucleus acummbens
Mesocortical pathway
include the amygdala hippocampus, and frontal lobe
- uses dopamine
Mesocorticallimbic System
- system consisting of mental segmental area and the brain regions receiving its dopaminergic
Nucleus Accumbens
plays role in drug seeking behaviour because it plays role in goals and values
- sends info to prefrontal cortex and toegetrh determine goals and values
- receives info from hippocampus; gives memory of past drug use
Amygdala
get emotional stimulation of when we use drugs
Long Term Drug Use
more reward with drugs and less with normal rewarding behaviour
- baseline of dopamine decreases
- these long term effects increase relapse risks
- hypofrontality
Hypofrontality
reduced activity in frontal regions that control working memory, behavioural inhibition, and response to environment
- this and brain changes from long term use refocuses individuals goal in life to obtain drug
Addiction is due to..
learning processes; classical conditioning
Agonist Treatments
replace addicting drug with another drug with similar effect
- methadone; for opioid addiction
Methadone
synthetic opioid used to treat opioid addiction
- milder
- binds to same receptors
- less addicting, safer, legal, and makes withdrawal not as bad
- less relapse rates
Antagonist Treatments
involve drugs that block effect of the addicting drug
- only works if the addict is willing and wanting to quit and complies with taking the treatment drug
- used to treat overdoses; fights the drug and prevents it from doing more damage
- naloxone to treat opioids
Comorbidity
addiction often appears in combination with mental or emotional personality disorders which can complicate rehabilitation
- must treat these at the same time as addiction or there will be complications
Aversive Treatments
cause a negative reaction when person takes the drug
- work well for alcohol and cigarettes and not too severe addiction
Antidrug Vaccines
molecules that attach to the drug and stimulate immune system to make antibodies that will degrade the drug
- most only last 2-3 weeks
- limiting effects so addict can take higher dose to counteract the effects
Type 1 Alcoholic
was cautious and emotionally dependent on alcohol
- around age 25
- distinct I’ve period of abstinence and guilty binge drinking
- usually other cases of alcoholism in biological family
Type 2 Alcoholic
impulsive, uninhibited, socially and emotionally detached
- started at young age
- drank frequently with little guilt
- first case of alcoholism in biological family
Genetics influence how drugs are…
metabolized, neurotransmitter/receptor levels, and other addiction risk factors
Methylation
attachment of methyl group to DNA, which surpasses a gene’s activity
Immense costs of drug abuse
- human suffering
- loss of health, productivity, and life
- billions spent on treatment and incarceration
