(PM3B) Substance Abuse & Society Flashcards
What is substance abuse?
Disorder
Characterised by the destructive pattern of using a substance
Leads to problems/ distress
What is the ventral tegmental area?
Receives stimuli from different parts of the brain
Information from neurones (tongue/ tastebuds)
(1) Connected to the nucleus accumbens via dopamine-releasing neurones
(2) Connected to the medial prefrontal cortex via dopamine-releasing neurones
What is the nucleus accumbens?
Connected to the ventral tegmental area via dopamine-releasing neurones
What is addiction?
Compulsive engagement in rewarding stimuli
Despite adverse consequences
What is a rewarding stimuli?
Stimuli that the brain interprets as intrinsically positive/ something to be approached
What is sensitisation?
Amplified response to a stimulus resulting from repeated exposure to it
What types of dependence are there?
(1) Somatic/ physical
(2) Psychological
What percentage of the UK population are dependent on alcohol?
5%
What percentage of the UK population are dependent on heroin and crack cocaine?
1%
What is abuse?
Sexual/ psychological/ emotional/ physical
Can influence drug use as a coping mechanism
What effect do underlying emotional disorders have on substance abuse?
Increased risk of substance abuse
What effect does family history have on substance abuse?
Increased risk of substance abuse
What are some categories of abused substances?
(1) Nicotine
(2) Alcohol
(3) Euphorics
- Cannabis
- Ketamine
- Nitrous oxide
(4) Opiates
(5) Benzodiazepines
(6) Stimulants
What is the meso-cortico-limbic system?
Dopamine pathway
Ventral tegmental area (VTA) to nucleus accumbens via dopamine-releasing neurones
What are the two overall treatment approaches for substance abuse?
(1) Pharmacological
(2) Behavioural
What is, generally, the most effective overall treatment?
Combination of pharmacological + behavioural
What is cognitive behavioural therapy?
Behaviours being learned responses
Through learning different responses, can be altered
What are contingency management interventions?
Rewarding compliance with abstinence
What is motivational enhancement therapy?
Focuses on identifying the need to change behaviours
What is family behaviour therapy?
Therapy undertaken with at least one other family member
What are the principles of pharmacological therapies for substance misuse?
(1) Abstinence
(2) Detoxification
(3) Replacement/ substitution therapy
(4) Formulation/ distribution – reduce misuse potential of replacement therapies
What is the role of the pharmacist in substance misuse?
(1) Provision of substance misuse services
- Needle exchange schemes
- Health promotions
(2) Identifying interactions
(3) Detection of misuse
- Unusual patterns of OTC purchases
- Altered prescriptions (strengths + quantity)
What is cannabis?
Plant
Cannabis sativa
One of the most widely used recreational/ medicinal drugs worldwide
Name some phytocannabinoids.
(1) delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol
(2) Cannabidiol
(3) Cannabigeroland
What is the psychoactive constituent of cannabis?
Phytocannabinoid
THC
delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol
What class drug is cannabis in the UK?
Class B
Is it a crime to possess anabolic steroids?
Personal use = No
Distribution = Yes
What is the endocannabinoid system?
THC exertion of function via CB1 receptor
CB1 receptor expressed almost everywhere in CNS
Why is it difficult to predict effects of THC?
CB1 receptors are almost everywhere in the body in the CNS
What is the effect of CB1 receptor binding?
Decreases release of dopamine + GABA
Release of glutamate activates postsynaptic mGluR5
Activates phospholipase C
What are some of the symptoms of cannabinoid receptor binding (CB1/ CB2)?
(1) Increased appetite
(2) Decreased pain sensitivity
(3) Nausea suppression
(4) Slow reaction time
(5) Sense of wellbeing
(6) Relaxation
(7) Euphoria
(8) Hallucinations
(9) Affected memory
(10) Affected judgement
Where are CB1 receptors?
In CNS (mostly)
Where are CB2 receptors?
In PNS (mostly)
What are some clinical uses for cannabinoids?
(1) Pain management
(2) Anti-emetic
(3) Appetite stimulant
(4) Anti-spastic – e.g. for multiple sclerosis
Why do people abuse substances?
Engaging in rewarding behaviours leads to pleasurable feelings
What are the most common forms of cannabis?
(1) Dried flowering tops of female plant buds
(2) Resins + oils
What are some different administration routes for illicit use of cannabis?
(1) Inhalation – smoking/ water pipes (bongs)
(2) Orally – food supplement, metabolised in GIT
- Produces more potent + less predictable effects
What are some different administration routes for medical use of cannabis?
(1) Sublingual aerosol
(2) THC capsules
What are the benefits of licensed medical cannabis over illicit use?
(1) Proven in clinical trials
(2) Pure compounds (standardised)
(3) Dose is controlled
What are some therapeutic applications of licensed medicinal cannabis?
(1) Appetite stimulant for AIDS patients
(2) Multiple sclerosis related spasticity
(3) Chemotherapy related nausea
(4) Neuropathic pain – from chronic disorders
What are some long-term effects of cannabis use?
(1) Addiction
(2) Altered brain development
(3) Poor educational outcome
(4) Cognitive impairment
(5) Diminished life satisfaction + achievement
(6) Symptoms of chronic bronchitis
(7) Increased risk of chronic psychosis disorders (including schizophrenia in those with a predisposition)
What are some of the potential withdrawal symptoms of cannabis use?
(1) Dysphoria – state of unease/ general dissatisfaction
(2) Disturbed sleep
(3) Decreased appetite
What are some behavioural treatment approaches for cannabis use?
(1) Motivational enhancement therapy (MET)
(2) Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
(3) Contingency management (CM)
(4) Family-based treatments
What is Salvia divinorum?
Hallucinogenic
Leaves
Family same as mint, oregano, lavender, thyme
Family: Lamiaceae
What is salvinorin A?
Active component of Salvia divinorum
What is the mechanism of action of salvinorum A (the active component of Salvia divinorum)?
(1) Hydrolysed to salvinorin B
(2) Selective potent agonist for KOR (kappa-opioid receptor)
(3) Non-nitrogenous lipid-like GPCRs
What dose of salvinorin A produces hallucinogenic effects?
200-500mcg of dried leaves
What are some of the potential effects of salvinorin A?
(1) Modified state of awareness
(2) 1-30minute inebriant state (drunk)
(3) Bizarre feelings of depersonalisation
(4) Synaesthesia – sensory feeling in a component separate to where the sensation stimulant is
(5) Visual hallucination
What are some unproven therapeutic claims for salvinorin A?
(1) Anti-nociceptive effects
(2) Utility in depression
(3) Treatment of cocaine abusers
What is important, with regard to dosage of salvinorin A?
Low dose = pain and mood amelioration
High dose = exacerbation of symptoms
What effects does nitrous oxide have on the CNS?
(1) Analgesia
(2) Euphoria
(3) Anxiolytic effects
How does nitrous oxide exhibit an analgesic effect?
(1) Enhances release of endorphins
(2) Inhibits interneuronal inhibition of endorphin releasing neurons
(3) Endorphines induce analgesia through opioid receptor activation