Drugs & The Brain Flashcards
How can drugs be administered?
oral, sublingual, intravenous, transdermal, intramuscular, subcutaneous, intranasal, inhaled
How can molecules pass the BBB?
small molecules can pass through endothelial cells, complex molecules can be carried across by pumps
Where are drugs catabolized? What happens after they are broken down?
kidneys, liver, intestines
turned into compounds that are easy to excrete
How are drugs excreted?
through urine, feces, sweat, breast milk, exhaled air
What happens to substances that can’t be removed from the body?
they build up and become toxic
What is an agonist vs antagonist?
agonist binds to and activates a target, antagonists bind to and prevent other molecules from binding (does not activate)
What are the types of tolerance?
metabolic, cellular, learned
What happens when you develop metabolic tolerance?
increase in the number of enzymes in the liver, blood, or brain that break down a substance
What happens when you develop cellular tolerance?
activities of brain cells adjust to minimize the effects of the substance
What happens when you develop learned tolerance?
people learn to cope with being intoxicated
What is sensitization vs tolerance?
increased effectiveness of drug vs decreased effectiveness of drug
How does sensitization happen?
changes at the synapse (more receptors or more synapses), more likely with intermittent use
What drug affects the adenosinergic system? Is it an agonist or antagonist?
caffiene, antagonist
What effects does caffeine have on the body?
inhibits enzyme that breaks down cAMP, this leads to more glucose which leads to more energy (blocks adenoside/Ca2+)
What is nicotine?
leaves of tobacco plant, at low doses is a stimulant and at high it dampens neural activity, stimulates acetylcholine nicotinic receptors
What type of drugs help with anxiety?
GABA agonists
What do gabaergic drugs do?
reduce neuron firing, relieve anxiety, stress, stop seizures, increased tolerance quickly
What are glutamatergic drugs?
main excitatory neuron the forebrain and cerebellum, receptors are NMDA, AMPA, kainite
What do NMDA antagonists do?
ketamine, PCP, cause hallucinations, detachment, and distorted perception
What effects does alcohol have?
enters body and goes to organ with most blood flow (liver, brain), turns up GABA and down glutamate, also stimulates dopamine release
What are some examples of dopamine agonists that are used recreationally? What about medically?
meth, cocaine, ampthetamine
adderall, ritalin, l-dopa, haldol
What are some longterm effects of using dopamine antagonists?
tardive dyskinesia (treat for schizophrenia)
What are some medically used seratonergic agents? What about recreational?
MAO, tricyclic, SSRI
LSD, shrooms
What are the three sources of opiods?
isolated (morphine), altered (heroin), synthetic (fentanyl)
What are 5 classes of opiod peptides?
dynorphins, enkephalins, endorphins, endomorphins, nociceptin receptors
What is an opiod antagnoist?
naloxone (narcan)
How does THC alter moods?
interacting with CB1 receptor on neurons and CB2 receptors on glial cells and other tissues
What is the criteria for impaired control in DSM under substance abuse?
use for longer or using more than expected, failing at reducing use, a lot of time spent getting/using/recovering from drug, intense cravings
What is the criteria for social impairment in DSM under substance abuse?
continued use despite negative effects in work/friends/family/school, continued use despite interpersonal problems caused by use, reduction/abandonment of meaningful social/recreational activities
What is the criteria for risky use in DSM under substance abuse?
repeated use in physically dangerous situations, continued use despite awareness of physical/psychological risks
What is the criteria for pharmological indicators in DSM under substance abuse?
tolerance and withdrawal
What are some risk factors for addiction?
family history, mental health issues, peer pressure, gender, genetics
What is the origin of botulin? What does it do?
spoiled food, blocks ACh release
What does black widow spider venom do?
stimulates ACh release
