NT's and recreational drugs

Question 1

antagonist vs agonist

Answer 1

agonist, mimics functioning of NT, binding to NT’s receptor e.g. cocaine is an agonist for dopamine

antagonist inhibits functioning of NT e.g. poision curare inhibits role of acetylocentine NT which prevents communication of neurones around the body leading to death- or seritonin inhibiting seritonin reuptake

Question 2

function of dopamine

Answer 2

involved with reward and motivation, feelings of pleasure and motivation, playing a part in addiction in the reward pathway as well as motor control.
can be excitatory or inhibitory

Question 3

function of seritonin

Answer 3

involved with mood, apetitie, happiness and anger
drugs can boost seritonon by inhibiting seritonon reuotake, decreasing depression
Serotonin affects some important body functions, including sleep cycles, body temperature, and blood pressure. Serotonin is an inhibitory transmitter that decreases anxiety and improves mood.

Question 4

reward pathway

Answer 4

substances often increase release of dopamine producing heightened sense of pleasure and reinforcment ehich can lead to addiction and dependany, associate high mood and hapiness with taking drug and can even develop release of dopamine without drug through cues and context

leading to chronic drug use- neuroadaptuons in reward pathway altering functioning of receptors and neurones leading to higher tolerance dependance and addiction

Question 5

noradrenaline

Answer 5

helps produce a rush of adrenaline, alertnessand energy, increases heat rate and triggers release of glucose from energy stores, and increases bloodflow around body/ muscles - excitatory

Question 6

amphetamines

Answer 6

amphetamines release dopamine, seritonin and noradrenaline into the brain and temporarily prevent them beinfg reuptaken

they mostly impact dopamine by increasing the concentration in the synaptic gap
they act as agonists for dopamine so pass through neurone into terminal buttons of the pre synaptic neurone

they also prevent inhibitory effect of glutamate on dopamine making it more excitatory

LT impact- when euphoria ends, leads to depression which causes abuse of amphetamines to avoid feeling- dependance

overtime receptors become dattages and lead to desensitisatopn and addixtion more require to stimulate

Question 7

heroin

Question 8

cocaine