How do drugs and hormones influence the brain and behavior?

Question 1

alcohol myopia

Answer 1

‘Nearsighted’ behavior displayed under the influence of alcohol: local and immediate cues become prominent, and remote cues and consequences are ignored.

Question 1

antianxiety agent

Answer 1

Drug that reduces anxiety; examples are minor tranquillizers such as benzodiazepines and sedative-hypnotic agents.

Question 1

monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor

Answer 1

Antidepressant drug that blocks the enzyme monoamine oxidase from degrading neurotransmitters such as dopamine, noradrenaline, and serotonin.

Question 2

cross-tolerance

Answer 2

Reduction of response to a novel drug because of tolerance developed in response to a chemically related drug.

Question 3

wanting-and-liking theory

Answer 3

When a drug is associated with certain cues, the cues themselves elicit desire for the drug; also called incentive-sensitization theory.

Question 3

withdrawal symptom

Answer 3

Physical and psychological behavior displayed by an addict when drug use ends.

Question 5

peptide hormone

Answer 5

Chemical messenger synthesized by cellular DNA that acts to affect the target cell’s physiology.

Question 6

attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

Answer 6

Developmental disorder characterized by core behavioral symptoms of impulsivity, hyperactivity, and/or inattention.

Question 7

barbiturate

Answer 7

Drug that produces sedation and sleep.

Question 7

competitive inhibitor

Answer 7

Drug such as nalorphine and naloxone that acts quickly to block the actions of opioids by competing with them for binding sites; used to treat opioid addiction.

Question 7

mood stabilizer

Answer 7

Drug for treatment of bipolar disorder that mutes the intensity of one pole of the disorder, thus making the other pole less likely to recur.

Question 8

antagonist

Answer 8

Substance that blocks the function of a synapse.

Question 9

endorphin

Answer 9

Peptide hormone that acts as a neurotransmitter and may be associated with feelings of pain or pleasure; mimicked by opioid drugs such as morphine, heroin, opium, and codeine.

Question 11

testosterone

Answer 11

Sex hormone secreted by the testes and responsible for the distinguishing characteristics of the male.

Question 13

disinhibition theory

Answer 13

Explanation holding that alcohol has a selective depressant effect on the cortex, the region of the brain that controls judgment, while sparing subcortical structures responsible for more primitive instincts, such as desire.

Question 14

bipolar disorder

Answer 14

Mood disorder characterized by periods of depression alternating with normal periods and periods of intense excitation, or mania.

Question 14

fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD)

Answer 14

Range of physical and intellectual impairments observed in some children born to alcoholic mothers.

Question 15

psychoactive drug

Answer 15

Substance that acts to alter mood, thought, or behavior; is used to manage neuropsychological illness; or is abused.

Question 17

dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia

Answer 17

Idea that excess activity of the neurotransmitter dopamine causes symptoms of schizophrenia.

Question 17

opioid analgesic

Answer 17

Drug like morphine, with sleep-inducing (narcotic) and pain-relieving (analgesic) properties; originally narcotic analgesic.

Question 18

addiction

Answer 18

Desire for a drug manifested by frequent use of the drug, leading to the development of physical dependence in addition to abuse; often associated with tolerance and unpleasant, sometimes dangerous, withdrawal symptoms on cessation of drug use. Also called substance dependence.

Question 20

second-generation antidepressant

Answer 20

Drug whose action is similar to that of tricyclics (first-generation antidepressants) but more selective in its action on the serotonin reuptake transporter proteins; also called atypical antidepressant.

Question 21

substance abuse

Answer 21

Use of a drug for the psychological and behavioral changes it produces aside from its therapeutic effects.

Question 22

agonist

Answer 22

Substance that enhances the function of a synapse.

Question 24

glucocorticoid

Answer 24

One of a group of steroid hormones, such as cortisol, secreted in times of stress; important in protein and carbohydrate metabolism.

Question 25

major depression

Answer 25

Mood disorder characterized by prolonged feelings of worthlessness and guilt, the disruption of normal eating habits, sleep disturbances, a general slowing of behavior, and frequent thoughts of suicide.

Question 26

selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI)

Answer 26

Tricyclic antidepressant drug that blocks the reuptake of serotonin into the presynaptic terminal.

Question 27

anabolic steroid

Answer 27

Belongs to a class of synthetic hormones related to testosterone that have both muscle-building (anabolic) and masculinizing (androgenic) effects; also called anabolic-androgenic steroid.

Question 28

psychomotor activation

Answer 28

Increased behavioral and cognitive activity; at certain levels of consumption, the drug user feels energetic and in control.

Question 29

gonadal (sex) hormone

Answer 29

One of a group of hormones, such as testosterone, that control reproductive functions and bestow sexual appearance and identity as male or female.

Question 29

tricyclic antidepressant

Answer 29

First-generation antidepressant drug with a chemical structure characterized by three rings that blocks serotonin reuptake transporter proteins.

Question 31

tolerance

Answer 31

Decrease in response to a drug with the passage of time.

Question 33

psychedelic drug

Answer 33

Drug that can alter sensation and perception; examples are lysergic acid dielthylmide, mescaline, and psilocybin.

Question 34

amphetamine

Answer 34

Drug that releases the neurotransmitter dopamine into its synapse and, like cocaine, blocks dopamine reuptake.

Question 35

homeostatic hormone

Answer 35

One of a group of hormones that maintain internal metabolic balance and regulate physiological systems in an organism.

Question 36

psychopharmacology

Answer 36

Study of how drugs affect the nervous system and behavior.

Question 37

organizational hypothesis

Answer 37

Proposal that actions of hormones in development alter tissue differentiation; for example, testosterone masculinizes the brain.

Question 38

steroid hormone

Answer 38

Fat-soluble chemical messenger synthesized from cholesterol.