CNS Stimulants Flashcards
Cocaine
extracted from coca leaves
Cocaine routes of administration
intranasal, IV and smoking
Effects of cocaine use
stimulation/energizing, increased heart rate and blood pressure, rush/high, reduced appetite, heightened senses
High Dose/Chronic Use (Cocaine)
irritability/aggression, insomnia, compulsive motor/limb movement, flight of ideas/incohenrent speech, delusion/paranoia
Mechanism (Cocaine)
blocks monoamine transporter
Tolerance (Cocaine)
fast tolerance, seems to plateau
Withdrawal (Cocaine)
- Only 5-6% after initial use of cocaine go onto dependence
- crash/come-down after single use
- cost associated with cocaine/availability/legal consequences
Reasons people develop dependence (Cocaine)
1) binge cycles in response to attempts to stop the ‘‘crash’’
2) taking higher doses
3) transition from intranasal to IV or smoking
Cocaine incubation
cravings for the drug decline over time
- incubation period - cravings stronger with time
Long-term effects (Cocaine)
neurotoxicity (damage to dopamine and serotonin), paranoia/hallucinations, heart failure/death
Amphetamine
- synthetic stimulant
- mimics naturally occurring ephedrine (diet/wakefull pill)
- usually taken orally
Amphetime and methamphetamine mechanism
- cause transporters to scoop monoamines into axon terminal
- forcing release of vesicle into cytoplasm in axon terminal
- then scoops them back into cleft - producing more in cleft
Amphetamine (speed)
- Ritalin and Adderall are great for ADHD
- Amphetamine use is associated with improvement in attention and memory (work longer hours and need less sleep)
Methamphetamine
- free based (smoked) is more potent than amphetamine
- less expensive
- increase rates of abuse and dependence
