Chapter 6 Flashcards
attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
Developmental disorder characterized by core behavioral symptoms, including impulsivity, hyperactivity, and/or inattention.
psychopharmacology
Study of how drugs affect the nervous system and behavior.
psychoactive drug
Substance that acts to alter mood, thought, or behavior; is used to manage neuropsychological illness; or is abused.
agonist
Substance that enhances synapse function.
antagonist
Substance that blocks synapse function.
tolerance
Decrease in response to a drug with the passage of time.
antianxiety agent
Drug that reduces anxiety, including minor tranquilizers such as benzodiazepines and sedative-hypnotic agents.
barbiturate
Drug that produces sedation and sleep.
cross-tolerance
Reduction of response to a novel drug because of tolerance to a chemically related drug.
fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD)
Range of physical and intellectual impairments observed in some children born to alcoholic parents.
dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia
Idea that excess dopamine activity causes symptoms of schizophrenia.
major depression
Mood disorder characterized by prolonged feelings of worthlessness and guilt, disruption of normal eating habits, sleep disturbances, a general slowing of behavior, and frequent thoughts of suicide.
monoamine oxidase (mAO) inhibitor
Antidepressant drug that blocks the enzyme monoamine oxidase from degrading such neurotransmitters as DA, NE, and 5-HT.
tricyclic antidepressant
First-generation antidepresasant; its chemical structure, characterized by three rings, blocks 5-HT reuptake transporter proteins.
second-generation antidepressant
Drug that acts similarly to tricyclics (first-generation antidepressants) but more selectively on 5-HT reuptake transporter proteins; also called atypical antidepressant.
selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (ssri)
Tricyclic antidepressant drug that blocks 5-HT reuptake into the presynaptic terminal.
bipolar disorder
Mood disorder characterized by periods of depression alternating with normal periods and periods of intense excitation, or mania.
mood stabilizer
Drug for treating bipolar disorder; mutes the intensity of one pole of the disorder, thus making the other pole less likely to recur.
opioid analgesic
Drug such as morphine, with sleep-inducing (narcotic) and pain-relieving (analgesic) properties; originally called narcotic analgesic.
endorphin
Opioid peptide that acts as a neurotransmitter and may be associated with feelings of pain or pleasure; mimicked by opioid drugs such as morphine, heroin, opium, and codeine.
competitive inhibitor
Drug, such as nalorphine and naloxone, that acts quickly to block opioid action by competing with the opioid for binding sites; used to treat opioid addiction.
amphetamine
Drug that releases the neurotransmitter dopamine into its synapse and like cocaine, blocks dopamine reuptake.
psychedelic drug
Drug that can alter sensation and perception; examples are lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), mescaline, and psilocybin.
disinhibition theory
Explanation holding that alcohol has a selective depressant effect on the brain’s frontal cortex, which controls judgment, while sparing subcortical structures responsible for more instinctual behaviors, such as desire.
behavioral myopia
“Nearsighted” behavior displayed under the influence of alcohol: local and immediate cues become prominent; remote cues and consequences are ignored.
substance abuse
is a pattern of drug use in which people rely on a drug chronically and excessively, allowing it to occupy a central place in their life.
addiction
Desire for a drug; manifested by frequent use, leading to physical dependence in addition to abuse; often associated with tolerance and unpleasant, sometimes dangerous, withdrawal symptoms on cessation. Per the DSM-5, called substance use disorder.
withdrawal symptom
Physical and psychological behavior displayed by an addict when drug use ends.
psychomotor activation
Increased behavioral and cognitive activity: at certain levels of consumption, the drug user feels energetic and in control.
wanting-and-liking theory
Explanation holding that when a drug is associated with certain cues, the cues themselves elicit desire for the drug; also called incentive sensitization theory.
testosterone
Sex hormone secreted by the testes that produces the distinguishing characteristics of the male.
steroid hormone
Fat-soluble chemical messenger synthesized from cholesterol.
peptide hormone
Chemical messenger synthesized by cellular DNA that acts to affect the target cell’s physiology.
homeostatic hormone
One of a group of hormones that maintain internal metabolic balance and regulate physiological systems in an organism.
gonadal (sex) hormone
One of a group of hormones, such as testosterone, that control reproductive functions and bestow sexual appearance and identity as male or female.
glucocorticoid
One of a group of steroid hormones, such as cortisol, secreted in times of stress; important in protein and carbohydrate metabolism.
organizational hypothesis
Proposal that hormonal action during development alters tissue differentiation; for example, testosterone masculinizes the brain.
anabolic steroid
Class of synthetic hormones related to testosterone that have both muscle-building (anabolic) and masculinizing (androgenic) effects; also called anabolic–androgenic steroid.
