Drugs Flashcards
What is the reward pathway?
The reward pathway makes us feel good when we engage in behaviors that are necessary for our survival
Which brain regions are associated with this pathway?
Ventral Tegmental Area
Nucleus Accumbens
Prefrontal cortex
What is the major neurotransmitter in this pathway?
Dopamine
How is this system related to drugs of abuse?
Continued drug use causes the number of dopamine receptors in the brain’s reward system
What is tolerance?
With repeated exposure the drug’s effect lessens, you need bigger doses to get the same effect
What is Withdrawal?
Absence of drugs causes physical pain
What is Dependence?
Compulsive physiological craving or a psychological need to obtain and use a drug
What are agonists?
Activate receptors; increases the effects of neurotransmitter activity
What are antagonists?
Blocks receptor activity; decreases the effects of neurotransmitter activity
How do anti-depressants such as Prozac work?
They block the deactivation or reuptake of neurotransmitters (serotonin)
What effects do alcohol and other depressants have on our nervous system?
Reduce neural activity and slow body functions
How does cocaine and methamphetamine alter neurotransmission and what are their effects on behavior?
They excite neural activity and speed up body functions
Heightened energy and euphoria
Irritability, Insomnia, Depression
What is cocaethylene?
It is produced in vivo in the liver when someone has consumed alcohol and cocaine, it is actually more deadly than cocaine, but has similar effects
Why does MDMA cause its user to want to bond with other people?
Because it releases stored serotonin and blocks it’s reuptake, prolonging the feel-good feeling of the neurotransmitter
What is DMT? How do the hallucinogens/psychedelics alter neurotransmission?
Dimethyltryptamine. It is found in most living things, found in our pineal gland, used to make Ayahuasca Tea, strong psychedelic, depending on method of ingestion and dosage can be a mild trip or a crazy out of body experience.
Hallucinogens distort perceptions and evoke sensory images in the absence of sensory input
