Chapter 6 - Drugs & Hormones Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
1
Q

Psychoactive Drugs

A

substances that act to to alter mood, thought or behavior

  • for recreation (make it abnormal)
  • to manage neuropsychological illness (make it normal)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Drug Routes

A

safest → least safe
high dose → low dose

  • stomach
  • intestines
  • skin
  • muscles
  • lungs
  • injected into:
    • blood
    • CNS
    • receptors
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Drug Routes

  • characteristics of psychoactive drugs
A

water-soluble → to pass BBB

diluted in body

weak acids: stomach → bloodstream

weak bases: intestines → bloodstream

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

Blood-Brain Barrier

  • characteristics
  • passage of substances
A

brain capillaries have tight junctions covered by astrocyte feet

small uncharged molecules diffuse across

  • CO2 & O2

active transport

  • aa’s, glucose, fats

large, charged molecules can’t leave capillary

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

Blood-Brain Barrier

  • (3) areas not protected
A

1) Pituitary Gland
2) Pineal Gland
3) Area Postrema (induces vomiting)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Drug Effects vs. Actions

A

EFFECTS → changes in mood/thought/behavior

ACTIONS → changes in neurochemistry

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Drug Actions

A

affect stages of chemical transmission

synthesis, storage, release, activation, inactivation, reuptake/degradation

Agonist vs. Antagonist

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Agonist

A

increases synapse functioning

  • ↑ synthesis, storage, release
  • aids binding/mimics
  • ↓ inactivation/degredation/reuptake
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Antagonist

A

decreases synapse functioning

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Classification of Psychoactive Drugs

  • (5)
A

based on drug effects

I. Sedatives & Antianxiety Agents

II. Antipsychotic Agents

III. Antidepressants

IV. Narcotic Analgesics

V. Psychomotor Stimulants

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

I. Sedatives & Antianxiety Agents

A

GABA agonists

cross-tolerance

anxiety relief, disinhibition, sedation, sleep, anesthesia, coma

Antianxiety Agents → less drastic effects but short-term use

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

I. Sedatives & Antianxiety Agents

  • Sedatives (2)
    • ​actions & effects
    • dose (2)

(INCREASE TIME PORE IS OPEN)

A

→ dose-dependant relationship

  • anxiety relief, disinhibition, sedate, sleep, anesthesia, coma

tolerance develops with frequent use

a) Alcohol
* ↑ GABA binding
b) Barbiturates
* mimic GABA → binds to receptor → ↑ Cl influx

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

I. Sedatives & Antianxiety Agents

  • Antianxiety Agents
    • ​actions & effects
A

a) benzodiazepines (Valium, Xanax)

Action: ↑ GABA binding → ↑ frequency of pore opening

  • indirectly ↑ Cl influx

Effects: anxiety relief

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Why are Benzodiazepines safer & harder to overdose on than Barbiturates?

A

Barbiturates → mimic GABA, ↑ Cl influx directly

Benzodiazepines → ↑ GABA binding, ↑ Cl influx indirectly

  • limited by amount of GABA
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

II. Antipsychotic Agents

  • Effects (2)
  • Action
A

Antipsychotics (neuroleptics): Haloperidol, Chloropromazine (FGAs)
→ Dopamine (DA) antagonists

SGA’s - also block seratonin receptors

EFFECT → ↓ psychosis symptoms (hallucinations, delusions)

  • side-effect: dyskinesia → impaired motor control (like Parkinsons)

ACTIONS: blocks D2 DA receptors

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

DA Hypothesis of Schizophrenia

  • support?
A

IDEA: excess DA activity causes schizophrenia symptoms

supported by similar symptoms in chronic amphetamine (DA agonist) users

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

III. Antidepressants (3)

  • Effects
A

seratonin agonists

a) monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors
b) Tricyclic Antidepressants
c) Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)

↓ Depression symptoms

  • guilt, worthlessness, disruption of eating/sleep, slowing of behavior, suicidal thoughts
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

III. Antidepressants

  • Drug Actions
    1. MAOIs
    2. Tricyclic Antidepressants
    3. SSRIs
A

1) ↑ NE & seratonin (& DA)
* block deactivating enzyme in axon terminals
2) ↑ NE & seratonin
* block reuptake
3) ↑ seratonin
* ↑ hippocampal neurogenesis

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

III. ANTIDEPRESSANTS → MAOIs

  • food-drug interactions
A

↑ availability of monamines

  • precursors in diet
  • tyramine → ↑ BP
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

III. Antidepressants

  • Why do effects take weeks to work?
A

metabotropic receptors → ↑ transcription of BDNF

facilitates rebuilding of brain & neuron health

  • cell death
  • neurogenesis in certain areas
    • hippocampus →turns off stress response
      • relief from depression symptoms
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

IV. Narcotic Analgesics

  • effects (2)
A

natural or synthetic drugs derived from opium poppy
→ opium, codeine, morphine, heroin

↓ GABA release → ↑ DA (addictive)

narcotic → sleep-inducing

analgesic → pain-relieving

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

IV. Narcotic Analgesics

  • drug actions
A

act on endorphin (endogenous morphine-like receptors) receptors in brain

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

V. Psychomotor Stimulants

  • (3)
A

a) Behavioral Stimulants
b) General Stimulant
c) Psychedelic Drugs

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

V. Psychomotor Stimulants (Psychotropics)

a) Behavioral Stimulants

  • effects
  • actions
A

agonists
cocaine - ↑ DA, NE, seratonin
amphetamine - ↑ DA, NE

effects: ↑ motor behavior, mood & alertness

actions:

  • block DA reuptake
  • ↑ DA release (amphetamine)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

V. Psychomotor Stimulants (Psychotropics)

b) General Stimulants

  • effects
  • action
A

caffeine → ↑ glucose (metabotropic receptors)

effects: ↑ alertness & motor behavior

actions: blocks adenosine receptors (inhibitory NT)

26
Q

V. Psychomotor Stimulants (Psychotropics)

c) Psychedelic & Hallucinogenic Stimulants

Psychedelic Drugs

  • effects
  • actions
A

seratonin & NE

LSD → acid

psilocybin → mushrooms

mescaline → peyote

effects: alter sensory reception & thoughts

actions: alters various NS system functioning

27
Q

Hormonal Communication

  • form of?
A

form of chemical communication

28
Q

Hormones

  • production
A

chemical messengers secreted directly into blood

produced & secreted by endocrine cells & carried via blood to target cell

29
Q

Endocrine System

A

system of glands that release hormones into bloodstream

controlled by hypothalamus via pituitary gland

30
Q

Major Endocrine Glands

A

pituitary gland

pineal gland → melatonin

thyroid gland → homeostasis

thymus → immune system

adrenal gland → stress response (fast & slow)

pancreas

ovary/testis

31
Q

Hierarchical Control of Hormones

  • (4) levels
A

I. Hypothalamus

II. Pituitary Gland

III. Target Endocrine Glands

IV. Target Organs & Tissues

32
Q

Hierarchical Control of Hormones

(4) levels

I. Hypothalamus

A

sensory stimuli & cognitive activity

→ produces neurohormones (releasing hormones)

33
Q

Hierarchical Control of Hormones

II. Pituitary Gland

A

neurohormones enter:

  • anterior pituitary through veins
    • produces its own hormones
  • posterior pituitary through axons

→ enter bloodstream to target endocrine glands

34
Q

Hierarchical Control of Hormones

III. Target Endocrine Glands

IV. Target Organs & Tissues

A

in response to pituitary hormones

→ release own hormones → stimulate target organs/tissues

in response, hypothalamus & pituitary ↓ hormone production

35
Q

Hormone Classification by Function

(3)

A

a) Homeostatic Hormones
b) Stress Hormones (Glucocorticoids)
c) Gonadal (Sex) Hormones

36
Q

a) Homeostatic Hormones

A

Maintain internal metabolic balance & system regulation

→ sugars, proteins, carbs, salts, water in blood, brain, cells etc.

  • aldosterone, vasopressin
37
Q

b) Stress Hormones (Glucocorticoids)

A

secreted in times of mental/physical stress

works in opposition to homeostatic hormones

38
Q

c) Gonadal (Sex) Hormones

A

sexual appearance & gender identity

control reproductive functions

role in some cognitive & motor functions

39
Q

Vasopression

A

ADH

↑ water reabsorption (retention)

40
Q

Stressor

A

stimulus that challenges homeostasis & triggers arousal

41
Q

Stress Response

A

physiological & behavioral arousal & attempt to ↓ stress

42
Q

Stress Response

  • (2) types
A

a) Fast-Acting Pathway
b) Slow-Acting Pathway

43
Q

Stress Response

a) Fast-Acting Pathway

(5)

A

hypothalamus sends neural msg through spinal cord

→ activates sympathetic ANS → fight or flight

→ stimulates medulla of adrenal gland

→ releases epinephrine

activates cells/endocrine glands/brain

44
Q

Stress Response

b) Slow-Acting Pathway

A

hypothalamus → releases CRH into pituitary gland

releases ACTH into adrenal cortex

releases cortisol into blood

→ activates cells, endocrine gland, brain

45
Q

Function of:

a) Fast-acting Pathway
b) Slow-acting Pathway

A

a) stimulates cell metabolism
b) turn off systems not immediately required to deal with stressor
- insulin
- reproductive functions
- growth hormone production

46
Q

Stress Response

  • brief vs. prolonged
A

stress responses → generally brief

  • turned on/off by hippocampus

prolonged stress can lead to hippocampal damage

47
Q

Gonadal Hormones

  • (2) effect types
A

a) Organizational
b) Activational

48
Q

Gonadal Hormone Effects

a) Organizational

A

during development

alter tissue differentiation causing enduring body/brain changes

SRY gene on Y xsome → causes male gonads to develop

  • testes secrete androgens → Anti-mullerian hormone inhibits female sex organs

testosterone masculinizes brain → cognitive differences

49
Q

Sex-Related Cognitive Differences → Evidence (3)

A

a) males → better @ spatial tasks

females → better @ verbal tasks

b) fluctuations in spatial/verbal tests scores across menstrual cycle
c) pre & post menopausal women, stages of pregnancy, M/F with various levels of circulating hormones → affects cognitive functions

50
Q

XY but androgen-insensitive

A

appear female

attracted to men

51
Q

Gonadal Hormone Effects → b) Activational

A

circulating sex hormones across lifespan

  • transient effects on body/brain/behavior

(puberty onward)

52
Q

Activating Hormones Effects in Women

A

→ act on hypothalamic nuclei

low estradiol phase

✓ spatial tasks

x verbal tasks

high estradiol phase

x spatial tasks

✓ verbal tasks

53
Q

Role of Amygdala & Hypothalamus in Sexual Behavior

A

Amygdala

  • M/F → influences sexual motivation

Hypothalamus

  • M/F → controls copulatory behavior
54
Q

Sexual Orientation

A

person’s sexual attraction to:

  • opposite sex
  • same sex
  • both sexes
55
Q

Gender Identity

A

person’s feelings of being male/female

56
Q
A
57
Q
A
58
Q
A
59
Q
A
60
Q
A
61
Q
A
62
Q
A