Day 4: Stimulants Flashcards
List various stimulant drugs that are abused.
Cocaine, methamphetamine, Adderall, nicotine
Effects of stimulants on the body
- Speed up CNS
- Increase activity levels
- Strong psychological and possible physical dependence.
- Reduce fatigue
- Elevate mood and alertness
Abuse effects of stimulants
addiction, seizures, strokes, death
Cocaine: reliability
unreliable; no purity standards, can be mixed with any white powder
Cocaine: half-life
1 hr
Cocaine: time spent in euphoria and effect on use
15 minutes of euphoria»_space; multiple uses more often
Cocaine: routes of administration
IV, inhalation, intranasal **
Cocaine: effects on heart
Increase HR, irregular heartbeats
Cocaine: effects on blood vessels
Blood vessels constrict»_space; increase in BP, possible rupture»_space; MI, stroke
Cocaine: effects on CNS
- stimulant
- euphoria,
- increase in energy,
- increased sensory awareness,
- possible seizures
Cocaine: addiction potential
Addiction is common
Cocaine: adverse effects
Psychological - anxiety, paranoia, depression, memory problems, irritability, suicidal thoughts/attempts
Physical - severe headaches, laziness/sleep problems, nasal sores/nose bleeds
Cocaine: mood swings
User is depressed all the time except while abusing drug
Methamphetamine: ROA
oral, intranasal, injection, smoked
Meth: appearance
white (slightly yellow) crystal-like powder
Meth: duration of action
6 - 8 hrs
Which is more addicting - meth or cocaine?
meth
Describe meth mouth.
cavities, red swollen gums, tooth decay, teeth grinding, poor dental hygiene
Adderall: generic
amphetamine salts
Adderall: indication
ADHD
Adderall: abuse effects
seizures, addiction, HF, death
Nicotine: amt that leads to physical and psychological dependance
5 mg (1 - 3 cigarettes) a day
Nicotine: perceived benefits
Comes from nicotine’s effects
Effects: relaxation, enhanced attention and thinking ability
Describe the medical use of stimulant drugs.
- ADHD
- Narcolepsy
- Suppress appetite (anoretics)
- Migraine
D-ephedrine: pharmacological target
D-ephedrine: adrenergic receptor (used as decongestant, bronchodilator)
Pharmacological targets of cocaine
Cocaine = inhibitor of: 1. dopamine transporter 2. serotonin 3. noradrenaline transporters Therefore it blocks reuptake of dopamine >> increase [dopamine] >> increase duration of action
Pharmacological targets of amphetamine, MDMA/Ecstasy
amphetamine, MDMA/Ecstasy = substrates of
- Dopamine transporter, serotonin, noradrenaline transporters
- Vesicular mono-amine transporters (VMAT)»_space; increase [mono-amine] in synapse. Mono-amine examples = serotonin, norepinephrine
- Trace amine-associated receptor»_space; activate DA/5HT/NE transporters through phosphorylation.
Pharmacological targets of nicotine
ionotropic acetylcholine receptors
Activation of receptors leads to Na+ entry and K+ exit from cell»_space; action potential generation
Pharmacological targets of caffeine
adenosine receptors
Amphetamine vs methamphetamine
- amphetamine = N-desmethyl analog of meth
2. Meth is more potent»_space; more euphoria
Behavioral processes impacted by dopamine signaling in brain
- decision-making
- Planning
- Reward/value-based learning
- Movement/action
- Fear/anxiety
- Learning and memory
Basically: dopaminergic system important for predicting and valuing reward
How are cough medicine, adderall, and crystal meth related structurally?
Cough medicine = D-ephedrine
Adderall = amphetamine salt
Structural similarities: aromatic ring, amine group
Methylphenidate: MOA, indication
MOA: DA/NE reuptake inhibitor
indication: narcolepsy and ADHD
