Drug abuse

Question 1

What is tolerance?

Answer 1

Decreased effect of a drug with repeated administration

- increasing doses of a drug needed to produce a specific effect

Question 2

What does the mesolimbic system project to?

Answer 2

1. Nucleus accumbens
2. amygdala
3. Hippocampus
4. prefrontal cortex

Question 3

Where does dopamine originate?

Answer 3

Ventral tegmental area or VTA

Question 4

What is the general rule about all addictive drugs?

Answer 4

They all affect the mesolimbic dope system

Question 5

What are some of the most addictive drugs

Answer 5

1. Opioids
2. Nicotine
3. Benzos
4. Cocaine
5. Amphetamines
   - in order from (5,4),( 2,1) and 3

Question 6

What receptors do opioids target?

Answer 6

Mu, Delta and and kappa

Question 7

What are the common general and health care professional abused opioids?

Answer 7

Heroin, morphine, codeine and oxy

Meperidine (demoral) and fentanyl

Question 8

What are some of the withdrawal effects coming down from opioids?

Answer 8

Chills, cramps, lacrimation, yawning, hyperpnea, tremors, N, V, muscle jerks (“kicking the habit”)
- NOT FATAL but very unpleasant

Question 9

What is Methadone?

Answer 9

It is a mu agonist

• can be given to people trying to come off of an opioid
• can be injected tho to get euphoric effects

Question 10

What is Buprenorphine?

Answer 10

It is a partial mu agonist which can be combined with naloxone to create Suboxone which doenst cause euphoria when injected

Question 11

What is the general effect of Sedative-hypnotics?

Answer 11

Reduce inhibitors
suppress anxiety
produce relaxation

Question 12

Flunitrazepam

Answer 12

Rohypnol which is the date rape drug known as roofies

- Gamma-hydroxybutyrate can also have to same affects of amnesia

Question 13

Why would one be worried about someone coming down from Sedative-hypnotics?

Answer 13

Because it can commonly cause seizures and can be live threatening
- also anxiety, n, v, delirium and tremors

Question 14

How do you treat Sedative-hypnotics withdrawal?

Answer 14

Give Diazepam which is a long acting sedative hypnotic (Benzo)

• Clonidine and propranolol can also be given to suppress sympathetic overactivity
• Naltrexone can be used for treatment of alcoholism

Question 15

How does nicotine work?

Answer 15

It is an nicotine acetylcholine receptor agonist (nAChR)

- there is VTA involvement cause rewarding effects of nicotine by partial agonist of AChr in VTA

Question 16

How do you treat withdrawal from nicotine?

Answer 16

Can cause anxiety and mental discomfort.

But with Verenicline which is a partial agonist nicotinic acetylcholine receptors of the VTA

Question 17

What are the monoamine neurotransmitters?

Answer 17

1. NE
2. DA
3. 5HT
4. Adrenalin

Question 18

What can chronic amphetamine use lead to

Answer 18

one can enter a psychotic state

also develop necrotizing arteritis which later leads to hemorrhage and renal failure.

Question 19

What are the common etiologies of cocaine use fatalities?

Answer 19

arrhythmias, seizures or respiratory depression

Question 20

Why is Cocaine positively reinforced?

Answer 20

Short acting
euphoria
self-confidence 
increased mental alertness 
and depression of mood when stop taking it

Question 21

What are some of the clinical uses of Marijuana?

Answer 21

Analgesic
antiemetic
decreased intraocular pressure

Question 22

What is the Molecular mechanism of Cannabinoids?

Answer 22

They target CB1 receptors which are found at the PREsynaptic neuron
- Endogenous are released from POSTsynaptic dendritic membrane
called RETROGRADE messengers

Question 23

What are the cannabinoid compounds

Answer 23

Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)
Cannbidiol (CBD)
Cannabinol (CBN)