Effect of Recreational Drugs on Transmission - Intro Flashcards
What are drugs?
Chemicals that have an effect on humans.
Examples of recreational drugs?
Cocaine, heroine, cannabis, ecstasy, etc.
Why are they called ‘recreational’?
Because they are taken for pleasure.
Drugs are psychoactive. What does this mean?
That they have an effect on the CNS.
What are ‘legal highs’?
Drugs that are taken for recreational purposes but are legal for other purposes & not yet illegal according to the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.
Popular legal highs?
Cannabinoids, cathinones & phenethylamines.
What do cannabinoids mimic the effect of?
Cannabis
What do cathinones mimic the effects of?
Ecstasy
What do phenethylamines include?
Stimulants & hallucinogens
Do all drugs have a specific mode of action?
No
What does ‘mode of action’ mean?
How a drug (or other substance) produces an effect in the body.
Mainly though, drugs have a specific mode of action at the synapse. What does this mean?
They act in a specific way.
What is the mode of action of SSRIs?
They block serotonin reuptake & leave more in the synapse.
