Lectures # 3 & 4 Flashcards
What is state-dependent learning?
- **State-dependent learning: **Task learned in a particular state will be better performed later if in the same state in which it was learned
- Opposition hold ture as well
- Not only true for drug use, but also emotional states and environments
What are dose-response curves?
**Dose-response curves **describe extent of effect (response) produced by a given drug concentration (dose)
What is threshold dose?
**Threshold dose: **smallest dose that results in measureable effect
What is ED50?
ED50 (50% effective dose): dose that produces half the maximal effect
What is maximum response?
**Maximum response: **all receptors occupied (can’t take any more…)
How can dose-response curve help? how can we see differnces in potency?
- We can compare various drugs in terms of dose-response curve
- Differences in potency shown by differences in ED50
What is potenc?
Potency:absoluted amount of drug needed to produce specific effect
What is TD50?
TD50 (50% toxic dose): dose at which 50% of the population experiences a toxic effec
What is the therapeutic index? Which is safest a high or low TI?
The Theraupetic index (TI)= TD50/ED50
A large TI indicates a safe drug
A small TI indicates an unsafe drug
What is pharmacogenetics?
**Pharmacogenetics **is the study of the genetic basis for variability in drug response among individuals. Goal: identify genetic factors that result in susceptibility to specific side effects, or predic theraupetic response.
What is genetic polymorphisms?
- **Genetic polymorphisms **for drug-metabolizing enzymes contribute to variability in metabolism.
- Genetic variation in drug-metabolizing enzymes has been the most studied.
What is cytochrome P450 (CYP450)?
The cytochrome P450 enzyme family are responsible for oxidizing most psychoactive drugs. The cytochrome P450 enzyme family genes have many polymorphisms that affect drug levels.
What is pharmacodynamics?
**Pharmacodynamics: **study of the physiological and biochemical interaction of drug molecules with cell receptors in target tissue.
What are receptors?
**Receptors **are proteins on cell surfaces or within cells
What is a ligand? What does this have to do with receptors?
**Ligand: **molecule that binds to a receptor with some selectivity.
Receptors have specificity for ligands due to their molecular shapes.
What is a receptor agonist?
**Receptor agonist: **has best chemical “fit” (highest affinity); attaches readily ot the receptor and produces significant biological effect.
What is a receptor antagonists?
Receptor antagonists also fit receptors but produce no cellular effect ( low efficiancy)
Can drugs as agonists?
- Yes
- Drugs can:
- Increase neurotransmitter synthesis or release
- Prolonging action of the neurotransmitter within the synapse
What is a synapse?
In the nervous system, a synapse is a structure that permits a neuron (or nerve cell) to pass an electrical or chemical signal to another cell (neural or otherwise).
What are neurotransmitters?
Neurotransmitters areendogenous chemicals that send out signals across asynapse from one neuron(brain cell) to another ‘target’ neuron. They are packaged into synaptic vesicles clustered underneath the membranein the axon terminal located at the presynaptic surface of a synapse.
Is **ligand-receptor binding **forever? What does it do?
- **Ligand-receptor binding **is temporary. After ligand separates, the receptor is free to bind again.
- Ligand binding causes change in receptor shape that initiates a series of events in the cell.
- These event are overall exicitatory or inhibitory.
Are receptors forever?
Receptor proteins have a particular life span; the number and sensitivity of receptors can also change.
What is up-regulation?
**Up-regulation: **number of receptors increases
What is down-regulation?
**Down-regulation: **number of receptors is reduced in response to absence of ligands or chronic activation.