Inhalants and GHB

Question 1

3 characteristics of inhalants

Answer 1

gas or volatile liquids, administer through breathing in fumes, not included in other classes of psychoactive drugs

Question 2

3 types of inhalants

Answer 2

volatile solvents, aerosols, gasses

Question 3

Percent of Americans who have tried

Answer 3

7% of Americans have tried inhalants

Question 4

First use age

Answer 4

between 12-16 years old

Question 5

Highest age group use in past year

Answer 5

in 12-17 year olds, 2.4%

Question 6

Absorption

Answer 6

very rapid through bronchial tissues, rate of absorption is determined by passive diffusion, more drug in source, more drug in system, also taken into muscle and fat

Question 7

What is absorbed fastest?

Answer 7

gasses absorbed more quickly than volatile liquids

Question 8

Toluene in baboon brains

Answer 8

toluene was taken up into striatum, deep cerebellar nuclei, and thalamus

Question 9

Inhalant effects

Answer 9

effects similar to alcohol intoxication, euphoria, stimulation and disinhibition, followed by drowsiness and lightheadedness

Question 10

Reinforcing evidence

Answer 10

self administration and conditioned place preference; toluene stimulates firing of DA neurons in VTA, dorsal striatum, NAcc, and PFC

Question 11

Health risks

Answer 11

kidney and liver damage, cardiac problems, fetal solvent syndrome, CNS and PNS damage to myelin

Question 12

Cognitive deficits

Answer 12

inhalers worse on working memory, planning, problem solving than cocaine users

Question 13

GHB

Answer 13

structure is similar to GABA; produced in the brain as a by-product of GABA metabolism

Question 14

Xyrem

Answer 14

treatment for narcolepsy, GABA a/b stimulation at night that normalizes nighttime sleep

Question 15

GHB is reinforcing

Answer 15

baboons self-administer

Question 16

GHB effects

Answer 16

behavioral sedation, intoxication, and learning deficits; low doses produce alcohol-like experience; higher doses cause memory impairment, respiratory depression

Question 17

GABAb receptor importance

Answer 17

GHB activates GABAb receptors, loss of responses to exogenous GHB in mutant mice lacking function GABAb receptors

Question 18

GHB half-life

Answer 18

45-50 minutes

Question 19

GHB tolerance

Answer 19

evidence in mouse model of motor suppression