Neurochemical Effects of Stimulants

Question 1

where do stimulants increase dopamine activity in the brain?

Answer 1

VTA-NAcc neural pathway

Question 2

how many types of dopamine receptors have been identified?

Answer 2

D1 through D5

Question 3

which of the dopamine receptors is the most important?

Answer 3

D1 receptor, involve in rewarding effects of stimulants

Question 4

what are the two ways stimulants can cause/extend dopamine activation?

Answer 4

1) cause the release of more dopamine per AP
- also can cause leakage of dopamine when there are no AP’s
- amphetamine, methamphetamine

2) block the reuptake of released dopamine
- cocaine

Question 5

lesions to what area of the brain impair the ability of stimulants to be rewarding to animals?

Answer 5

VTA or NAcc regions of the brain

Question 6

what is the ‘stimulant blues’? (also known as cocaine blues)

Answer 6

stimulant binge (using many times consequtively), the rewarding effect diminishes until they feel depressed even when off the drug

Question 7

what is anhedonia?

Answer 7

a condition where even after stopping the stimulant abuse, the person becomes depressed and cant enjoy normal life as they used to

Question 8

how to alleviate anhedonia?

Answer 8

abstinence for long enough lets new dopamine be created and released

Question 9

why does anhedonia occur?

Answer 9

binging stimulants causes dopamine to continuously leak from the presynaptic terminal and not be reuptaken, so is being constantly broken down in the cleft

Question 10

what does schizophrenia have to do with dopamine?

Answer 10

excess dopamine activity causes schizo.

Question 11

why does dopamine playing a role in schizo. explain high doses of stimulant behaviour?

Answer 11

going into bouts of psychosis from high doses of stimulants is similar to what happens in schizo. in the brain