Exam 2 (Depressants, Stimulants, Psychedelics, and Cannabis)

Question 1

Depressants AKA

Answer 1

Sedatives
Hypnotics
Anxiolytics

Question 2

All of them decrease the activity of what?

Answer 2

Central Nervous System
Reticular Activating System

Question 3

Relief from?

Answer 3

Disinhibition
Sedation
Sleep
General Anesthesia
Coma
Death

Question 4

What does not directly counter the effect of a stimulant?

Answer 4

Nonspecific antagonism with stimulants

Question 5

True or False: Expectancies and environment are a very important factor in the effects of antidepressants.

Answer 5

True

Question 6

1 alohol + 1 benzodiazepine = ?

Answer 6

4

Question 7

True or False: No antidepressant drug related deaths.

Answer 7

False

Many accidental drug deaths due to depressants

Question 8

Antidepressants have?

Answer 8

Cross tolerance and Cross dependence

Question 9

What are Barbiturates?

Answer 9

• Developed in 1800s
• Anticonvulsants, sleeping pills, anesthetics
• Derived from barburic acid: pentobarbital (Nembutal), seconbarbital (Seconal), phenobarbital (Luminal), Amobarbital (Amytal), Sodium thiopental (Pentothal)
• Prime rx depressant prior to 1960s, now largely replaced with benzodiazepines
• Low cost (main advantage) (no longer under patent)

Question 10

Barbituric Acid:

Answer 10

Pentobarbital (Nembutal)
Secobarbital (Seconal)
Phenobarbital (Luminal)
Amobarbital (Amytal)
Sodium Thiopental (Pentothal)

Question 11

Benzodiazepines replaced what?

Answer 11

Prime rx depressant prior to 1960s

Question 12

Name some barbiturates and their colours/ appearance.

Answer 12

• Tunal: Red & Blue Pill
• Sodium Amytal: Blue Pill
• Medomin: White round tablet
• Nembutal: Yellow Pill (Placebo?)
• Amytal: Small, white, round tablet
• Phanodorm: White round tablet
• Sodium Seconal: Red Pill
• Soneryl: Pink round tablet
• Epanutin: Orange and White pill

Question 13

What is the metabolism, mechanism and short-term effects of barbiturates?

Answer 13

• They can be ingested orally, very lipdid soluble and quickly into the brain (longer acting ones are slightly less lipid-soluble)
• Decrease pupil size
• Reduce glutamate and increase affinity of GABA for its receptor
• Net effect of depressing synaptic transmission; in normal doses there is selective depression of the Reticular Activating System and thalamic projection system because of their very high concentration of synapses, in high doses it depresses the entire activity of the central nervous system
• Short (1 hour): Anesthetics (thiopental), truth serum (thiopental)
• Medium (4-6 hours): Sleeping pills (amobarbital) (lose effectiveness in 2 weeks and disturbs Rapid Eye Movement)
• Long (2-6 day half-life): anticonvulsants (phenobarbital, treatment of choice for grand mal), antihypertensives
• Hangovers common because of the ling half-life

Question 14

What is glutamate?

Answer 14

Excitatory transmitter

Question 15

What is GABA

Answer 15

Inhibitory transmitter

Question 16

Anesthetics and Truth Serums are?

Answer 16

Thiopental

Question 17

Short Effects of Barbiturates

Answer 17

1 hour

Question 18

Medium Effects of Barbiturates

Answer 18

4-6 hours

Question 19

Long effects of Barbiturates

Answer 19

2-6 day half-life

Question 20

Long-Term Effects of Barbiturates

Answer 20

• Fatigue, poor coordination, impaired memory and attention
• Tolerance to sedative but not respiratory depression –> 3000 deaths a year in the U.S., 1500 are related to suicide
• Marilyn Monroe died from Barbiturates
• Physical dependence, with strong rebound symptoms of anxiety and tremors, withdrawal can be fatal due to cardiac failure or exhaustion

Question 21

Explain Minor Tranquilizers

Answer 21

• Anti-anxiety drugs, anxiolytics, sedatives
• Introduced in the 1960s
• Benzodiazepines: Chlordiazepoxide (Librium), Diazepam (Valium), Alprazolam (Xanax), Lorazepam (Atican), Flunitrazepam (Rohypnol, ‘date-rape’), Midazolam (Versed)
• Benzodiazepines one of the most widely prescribed drugs in the world
• More commonly used among females, poorly educated, low income, elderly
• Less potent than barbiturates (don’t suppress respiration), but high rates of overdose because of wide use
• Less Central Nervous System depression and more specific anti-anxiety effects

Question 22

Anti-anxiety drugs, anxiolytics, and sedatives are also known as?

Answer 22

Minor Tranquilizers

Question 23

Minor Tranquilizers are best for what?

Answer 23

• Acute anxiety (**NOT **Obsessive Compulsive, Panic Attacks, or Generalized Anxiety)
• Insomnia
• Anticonvulsant
• Alcohol withdrawal (longer half-life)
• Muscle relxants
• Inducing amnesia (e.g., treatment for PTSD)