Drugs of abuse

Question 1

Function of dopamine pathway

Answer 1

Reward (motivation)
Pleasure, euphoria
Motor function 
Compulsion 
Preservation

Question 2

Function of the serotonin pathway

Answer 2

Mood
Memory processing
Sleep
Cognition

Question 3

What is the mess-limbic dopamine pathway

Answer 3

Cell bodies in ventral segmental area terminate in the nucleus accumbent

Question 4

Which drugs increase dopamine release in the nucleus accumbent

Answer 4

Opiates
Nicotine 
Amphetamine 
cocaine
Ethanol
Cannabis

Question 5

Which drugs enhance serotonin

Answer 5

LSD

Ecstacy

Question 6

What do drugs of abuse do to dopamine

What inhibits neural activity

Answer 6

Enhance release of dopamine fr9om VTA neurones

GABA

Question 7

What is bromocriptine used for

Answer 7

Stopping breast milk production
Problems cause by not having right amount of prolactin
Treating non-cancerous tumours in the brain called prolactinomas
Treating Parkinson’s disease

Question 8

What are are cautions with bromocriptine

What other drug should be cautioned that has these effects

Answer 8

It is a dopamine agonist which means that it can cause impulse control disorders and can cause behaviours such as addictive gambling, excessive eating or spending and abnormally high sex drive or an increase in sexual thoughts or feelings

ropirinole

Question 9

What is the mode of action of opiates (e.g. heroin, morphine, codeine, fentanyl and methadone)

Answer 9

Agonists at G protein-coupled opioid receptors that lower neurotransmitter release in brain and periphery

Question 10

Acute Effects of opiates

Answer 10

euphoria, tranquility, mitosis, drowsiness, itching, nausea

Question 11

Chronic effects of opiates

Answer 11

Constipation, depression, insomnia, dependence, Dancer of HIV and hepatitis from injecting, poor nutrition

Question 12

Is it okay for heavily dependent users of opioids to suddenly withdraw

Answer 12

No

Question 13

Mode of action of cocaine

Answer 13

Prevents reuptake of dopamine.

Question 14

What dependence can cocaine cause

Answer 14

Little tolerance
Little physical dependence
Strong psychological dependence

Question 15

Mode of action of amphetamines

Answer 15

release monoamines from neural storage vesicles and block re-uptake transporters, causing increased synaptic DA, NA and 5HT

Question 16

Physical effects of amphetamines

Answer 16

amphetamine psychosis, increased cardiovascular tone, raised blood pressure, tachycardia

Question 17

Mode of action of cannabis

Answer 17

Inhibits wide range of neurotransmitter release in the brain and periphery via specific Gi protein coupled cannabinoid receptors

Question 18

What are the concerns with chronic heavy use with cannabis

Answer 18

Psychosis

Question 19

What kind of therapy is needed for opioid misuse

Answer 19

Methadone (agonist substitution) along with psycho-social support because without psycho social support it is not effective.

Question 20

How is methadone (treatment for opioids) administered and what is its mode of action

Answer 20

Long acting synthetic opiate agonist

administered orally for sustained period at dose sufficient to prevent opiate withdrawal

Question 21

Use of varenicline and mode of action

Answer 21

Smoking cessation (partial receptor agonist)

Question 22

Use of buprenorphine and mode of action

Answer 22

(partial)receptor agonist Opioid cessation

Question 23

What is an agonist treatment for opiate addiction and how is it taken

Answer 23

Naltrexone - patients must be detoxified and opiate free for several days before taking

Question 24

What is used for alcohol dependent patients and what is its mode of action

Answer 24

Acamprosate- reduces alcohol consumption and reduces neural excitability that occurs during alcohol withdrawal

Naltrexone- Interferes with positive reinforcement and possibly alcohol conditioned cues. Possibly acts by blocking endogenous opioid dis-inhibition of GABA neurones in VTA thereby reducing firing of dopamine releasing neurones