exam 2 Flashcards
adrenaline
neurotransmitter for fight or flight
nonadrenaline
neurotransmitter for concentration
dopamine
neurotransmitter for pleasure
serotonin
neurotransmitter for mood
gaba
neurotransmitter for calming
acetylcholine
neurotransmitter for learning
glutamate
neurotransmitter for memory
endorphins
neurotransmitter for euphoria
ligands
bind with receptors; can be both endogenous & exogenous molecules
agonists
ligands with normal function
antagonists
ligands that bind but don’t activate
inverse agonist
ligands that make receptor do the opposite of normal
affinity
higher = more attraction to receptor & better binding
efficacy
how effective the drug is
repeated drug use
causes individual to develop metabolic and/or functional tolerance
up & down regulation
happens as the brain changes as a result of experience
how do drugs affect pre-synaptic mechanisms
synthesis of NT, release of NT, & clearance of NT
how do drugs affect post-synaptic mechanisms
agonist/antagonist actions
antipsychotic drugs
includes typical/1st gen (antagonist of D2 auto receptor) & atypical/2nd gen (greater effect at 5HT receptors) neuroleptics
antidepressants
includes MAO inhibitors, tricyclics, & SSRIs
monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors
inhibit the action of MAO; when taking these you must avoid tyramine rich foods like beer & cheese
tricyclics
named due to 3 ring structure; stop the reuptake of monoamines
selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI)
more selective & less side effects; inhibit reuptake of 5HT
anxiolytics/tranquilizers (anxiety relieving)
benzodiazepine - diazepam (valium), lorazepam (ativan) - action at gabaA receptor (also directly affected by alcohol); increases affinity, Cl-, & IPSPs
mood stabilizers
lithium & valproic acid
lithium
used to treat BPD & sometimes schizophrenia & mania; decreases NE, increases 5HT, modulates DA & GLU
valproic acid
thought to increase GABA & decrease mania; shown to contribute to autism
how is medicine administered
most are taken orally; can also be transdermal, inhaled, injected, subcutaneous, intravenous, & intramuscular; goal is to get into blood
morally wrong drug abuse model
believes it’s abusers fault; just say no
disease drug abuse model
individuals suffer from a disease & need treatment
physically dependent drug model
avoiding withdrawal or dysphoria
positive reward drug model
people & animals are motivated to get pleasurable things
opiates
derived from opium poppy; include morphine, codeine, heroin, & fentanyl; very strong analgesic properties
endogenous opioids
includes enkephalins, endorphins, & dynorphins
why do people overdose
tolerance/learning which is an unconscious component
cannibinoid/marijuana
chief active ingredient is delta-9-tetrahydrocannibanol (THC); only 4 states left where marijuana is fully illegal
cannibinoid receptors
CB1 & CB2
endocannabinoids
anandamide affect memory & appetite stimulation
delta 8
“diet weed”; similar pharmacodynamics to delta 9 but less efficacy
uniqueness about delta 8
only present in minor levels in the hemp plant so higher levels need to be produced by chemically altering CBD
delta 10 & HHC
also made from CBD in a similar manner to delta 8
hallucinogens
includes lysergic acid (LSD), mescaline (peyote), psilocybin (mushrooms), phencyclidine (PCP), & ecstasy (MDMA)
stimulants
includes nicotine, cocaine, & meth
nicotine
works through the brain’s Ach receptors - also works at 5HT3
cocaine
stops the reuptake of monoamines (DA)
methamphetamine
changes the reuptake/removal of DA & reverses the pump
pavlovian conditioning
humans & animals are adept at forming associations between stimuli & environmental cues
why do people become addicted
biology, environment, & personal traits all contribute; drugs hijack brain system for natural reward & alters our conscious experience of the world; learning plays a big part
incentive sensitization
wanting = craving the drug, liking = hedonic properties; over time drug use becomes driven by craving instead of pleasure
incentive salience
psychological process that prompts one to seek a reward as a result of a stimulus
pharmacotherapeutics
developed by understanding drug use to work towards recovery
histological in post mortem
how structure/function studies in the brain were initially done
cellular straining & labelling
light microscopy (high vs low magnification), electron, & multiphoton microscopy
lesions
structure/tissue removed and behavior is studied
loss of function
rare human cases like phineas & clive wearing; can be accidental like HM
corsi block tapping test
participant must remember order to tap; measures short term spatial memory
mirror drawing test
must trace in the lines using a mirror; measures procedural learning/memory
wisconsin card sorting
measures frontal lobe function like how well one can set, shift, & infer new rules
place learning
done by different mazes including morris water maze, T maze, & radial arm maze
morris water maze
for spatial learning & memory
T maze & radial arm maze
measures working memory & reference memory
stereotaxic surgery
3 planes; can navigate to specific structures in the brain; can implant electrodes, cannula, specific drug, & virus to transfect
DBS
deep brain stimulation; implanted by stereotaxic surgery; can measure behavior following/during stimulation
DBS in humans
used to treat parkinson’s, schizophrenia, OCD, & major depression
microinfusions of drugs
can be delivered to discrete sites to measure behavior
microdialysis
allows us to look at neurochemical levels in specific brain areas; uses concentration gradient
optogenetics
virus transfects cells, cells express opsins & become sensitive to light
channelrhodopsin 2
blue; opens Na2+ and excites
halorhodopsin
green/yellow; activates Cl- pump & inhibits
chemogenetics
virus transfects cells, express g protein coupled receptors; selectively sensitive to inert compound (DREADDs)
mapping brian activity
can be used to help individuals with movement disorders move and/or communicate
computerized axial tomography (CT) scan
x rays taken at many angles
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
hydrogen atoms spin; magnets change their spin & the machine detects this change using radio frequency
diffusion tensor imaging (DTI)
measures movement of water along axons & detects differences
magnetic resonance spectroscopy
used to determine brain metabolites
functional MRI (fMRI)
adds the detection of function through changes in oxygenated blood
optical tomography
infrared light is transmitted through the scalp & a detector picks up differences in blood flow
positron emission tomography (PET)
special camera picks up energy emitted from brain due to exposure of radioactive isotope
