Consciousness 3 - Drugs

Question 1

What is the diagnostic criteria for substance use disorders?

Answer 1

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Question 2

What are depressants and how do they effect neurotransmitters?

Answer 2

• suppress the central nervous system, lowers brain activity
• alter consciousness, reduce cognitive-motor functioning
• GABA agonists

Question 3

What are stimulants and what’s their effect?

Answer 3

• increases brain activity
• work on reward systems and arousal

Question 4

What neurotransmitter systems are effected by different stimulants?

Answer 4

• dopamine (cocaine)
• adenosine (caffeine)
• acetylcholine (nicotine)
• norepinephrine (amphetamines)

Question 5

What are the damaging effects of stimulants?

Answer 5

• leads to depletion of neurotransmitter release
• leads to other addictions

Question 6

What are the effects of opioids and what systems do they work on?

Answer 6

• reduce pain
• work on natural opioid systems
• very high chance for abuse

Question 7

What are withdrawal symptoms of drugs?

Answer 7

• withdrawal symptoms are usually the opposite of the effect of the drug
  opioids - similar to flu

Question 8

Do hallucinogens relieve depression?

Answer 8

• they are proved to have therapeutic effects
• cannot have predisposition to BPD or schizophrenia