drugs Flashcards
what do psychoactive substances do?
alter brain chemistry by crossing the blood-brain barrier and modifying synaptic transmission in some way (typically through one of the neurotransmitter stages)
what do agonists do?
increase activity of a neurotransmitter system
what do antagonists do?
inhibit or decrease activity of a neurotransmitter system
what are some examples of agonists?
opiates and amphetamines
what do opiates do?
bind to opiod receptors (which normally bind to endorphins) activating them and producing analgesic effects (removing pain), as well as feelings of reward (dopamine release)
what do amphetamines do?
bind to receptors, stimulating the release of norepinephrine and dopamine, as well as blocking their reuptake
what are two examples of antagonists?
antipsychotics and naloxone?
how do antipsychotics work?
by binding to dopamine receptors, which prevents substances (like dopamine) from binding and exerting their own effects
what can naloxone do?
reverse opiate overdoses because it binds to opioid receptors, which neutralizes the effects of circulating opioids by preventing them from binding to the same receptors
is naloxone a fast process?
noooopeeee
what is tolerance?
decrease in response to drug, whereby larger doses are needed to achieve similar effects
what is the body attempting to do with tolerance?
maintain homeostasis
what happens with withdrawal?
strong psychological reactions that are opposite to those which are associated with the drug one is withdrawing from
what is compensatory response?
physiological reactions opposite to that of the drug
what happens with the compensatory response (example)?
many associate certain locations or people with a certain activity, such as smoking
historically, a distinction had been drawn between substances that are ________________ addicting and _____________________ addicting
physiologically and psychologically
how do depressants work?
reducing/depress nervous system activity
what can depressants do in moderate and high doses?
moderate: induce a more relaxed state and reduce tension/anxiety
high: can inhibit critical systems (like breathing) to the point of danger/death
that larger the dose, the ___________ tolerance develops
faster
what is one of the most widely used drugs and depressants in the world?
alcohol
what are the two phases that alcohol exerts its effects?
initially increases GABA, then decreases glutamate
what is alcohol myopia?
reductions in cognitive function
barbiturates and tranquilizers are both what kind of drug?
depressants
both barbiturates and tranquilizers are broad categories of drugs that are widely used both?
clinically and recreationally
what might barbiturates and tranquilizers be prescribed for?
anti-anxiety and anxiolytics properties, as a sleep aid and to prevent seizures
what do barbiturates and tranquilizers do?
increase GABA and are highly addictive
how do stimulants work?
increasing neuronal firing and general nervous system activity
what happens in the body when you take stimulants?
increases blood pressure, heartrate, arousal, feeling of alertness
what does amphetamine increase?
release of dopamine (reward) and norepinephrine (fight or flight)
what can amphetamines be prescribed for?
ADHD
what is amphetamine psychosis?
schizophrenia-like symptoms (hallucinations) that result from excess dopaminergic activity
what is crystal methamphetamine?
particularly potent and typically impure form of amphetamine
coca in a powdered form is called?
cocaine
what does coca do?
blocks norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake
what is crack cocaine?
smokable form with more intense effects that have a shorter duration
what is the synthetic form of coca?
novocaine
what does novocaine do?
blocks movement of sodium ions and has a numbing effect
why do people snort drugs?
it gets into the bloodstream more quickly
what does MDMA/ecstasy affect?
a wide range of behaviors, processes and emotions (feelings of well-being, empathy, social connection, sensory perception)
what does MDMA cause?
release and blocks the reuptake of serotonin, as well as affects dopamine
opiates come in many forms such as?
morphine, codeine, heroin, ocycontin
what receptors do opiates bind to? what affect does this account for?
endorphins, accounts for analgesic response
what activity do opiates increase?
dopaminergic, which accounts for the euphoric mood
what do hallucinogens/psychedelics do?
distort and/or intensify sensory experience and modify cognition, typically by affecting serotonergic activity
where are psilocybin found?
various mushrooms
where is mescaline found?
various cacti
how is LSD synthesized?
through a slight modification of a naturally occurring compound
LSD acts similar to psilocybin/mescaline, but has a?
longer duration
what is DMT? where is it found? what is it associated with?
a naturally occurring compound found in a range of plants, associated with particularly intense effects that last for a very short duration
what kind of drug system does our body have?
endogenous cannabinoid system
what behaviors and processes do cannabinoids effect?
sleep, appetite, pain, mood, memory, attention
what systems might cannabis interact with?
GABA and dopamine
what is the cannabis gateway hypothesis?
if you use cannabis, you will use all other drugs (correlational relationship)
the effects drugs have on a person depend on what factors?
genes, physical and social setting, culture, beliefs and expectations, personality factors
