Problem 1 When is a drug a drug?

Question 1

What is a drug?

Answer 1

A substance that comes from outside the body, crosses the blood/brain barrier and has an effect similar to our natural neurotransmitters

Question 2

Opioids

Answer 2

o Target endorphin receptors and creating a dreamy sense of well-being
o used as painkiller (physical as well as psychological pain)

Question 3

Stimulants (upper)

Answer 3

o Release noradrenaline and dopamine making you feel alert and full of energy

Question 4

Depressants (downer)

Answer 4

o Activate GABA receptors
o They are useful for decreasing anxiety, relieving insomnia and pain, reducing convulsions, and relaxing muscles in spasm

Question 5

Psychedelics

Answer 5

o Have effects on serotonin receptors but where they engage else where is not really known

Question 6

Difference between dependence and addiction

Answer 6

The difference is that that you have the craving with an addiction. (Addiction is the last stage of dependence)

Question 7

Pull factors

Answer 7

Pleasure, powerful memories, reducing suffering, new meanings

Question 8

Push factors

Answer 8

Impulsivity, Compulsion, withdraw

Question 9

Dopamine

Answer 9

is involved in drive and desire and perhaps (pretty sure that it is like this) reward (important for addiction acts at the reward centre of the brain the nucleus accumbens)

Question 10

Endorphines

Answer 10

Give peace and pleasure, reduce suffering and numbs pain

Question 11

GABA & Glutamate

Answer 11

regulate memory

Question 12

Serotonin

Answer 12

may be involved in attributing meaning to experience

Question 13

Noradrenalin

Answer 13

related to impulsivity and compulsivity

Question 14

The addicted personality

Answer 14

o When mother used drugs during pregnancy
o Traumas encourage opiate use
o Impulsivity
o Compulsivity (are less likely to start but when its harder to stop)
o Anxiety (relief of these feelings)
o Gender: men are more likely to get addicted because they tend to more sensation seeking

Question 15

Effects of alcohol

Answer 15

o Reduces anxiety
o Concentrations >50 ml/dl: produce ataxia, inattention and slowed reaction times
o Concentrations >150 ml/dl: amnestic
o Concentrations above 300 ml/dl: death from respiratory depression can occur

Question 16

Effects of tabaco

Answer 16

o Highly addictive
o Increases the risk of lung cancer and can cause chronic bronchitis, emphysema and asthma as well as heart problems cardiovascular disease and stroke
o Nicotine: has anti-psychotic and cognition-impairing properties
o No loss of tangibles and relationships
o Medium international damage caused by deforestation fertilisers and farmers who are exploited
o Social benefits: Smokers tend to have a strong sense of group identity and create social bonds by while consuming cigarettes

Question 17

Tabaco and Neurotransmitter

Answer 17

o Smoke contains substances that block the important brain enzyme monoamine oxidase (MAO)
o Monoamine oxidase: breaks down dopamine so if blocked, the level of dopamine increases
o is delivered to the brain nearly as fast as an injection
o tabaco binds to acetylcholine receptors

Question 18

Alcohol and neurotransmitter

Answer 18

o Releases endorphins noradrenaline and dopamine and endogenous opioid

Question 19

Receptors involved in reinforcement actions of alcohol

Answer 19

mu and delta receptors (opioid receptors)

Question 20

GABA (alcohol)

Answer 20

 GABA a receptor: alcohol increases the ability of GABA a receptor to open chloride channel but only for some sorts of GABA a receptor. (if gamma-2 unit of the GABA a receptor includes the amino acid serine, alcohol potentiate GABA)
 GABA enhancing actions of alcohol are found at low concentrations (<100 mg/dl)
 At higher concentrations alcohol has a direct action on the receptor, causing opening of the chloride channel that is GABA independent (>250 mg/dl)

Question 21

Glutamate (alcohol)

Answer 21

 Key receptor: NMDA receptor → sits in the cell membrane and regulates calcium passage
 Alcohol acts as a blocker of the NMDA channel, opposing the effects of glutamate (>100 ml/dl)
 Contributes to the causation by alcohol of amnesia and other cerebral depressant effects

Question 22

• Hedonic homeostatic dysregulation

Answer 22

1 pre occupation and anticipation
o Dopamine and endorphin are high and stress is too
2Positive reinforcement: (binge intoxication)
o Dopamine and endorphin are high stress is gone
3Withdraw negative affect
o Neurotransmitter go low because they were to high and the stress goes up → craving