recreational drugs Flashcards
agonist
stimulate specific receptors, decrease number and sensitivity of receptors
as sensitivity has decreased, drug tolerance occurs so individual must take more to trigger effects
antagonist
block specific receptors, increase number and sensitivity of receptors
as sensitivity has increased the individual craves more, addiction
reuptake inhibitor
blocks reabsorption of NT by presynaptic neurone after being released into synaptic cleft
amphetamine
stimulates CNS
speed up bodily processes like heart and breathing rate
can be snorted, mixed with drinks or injected
how do amphetamines impact NTs
increases concentration of dopamine in synaptic cleft and prevents reuptake and digestion by enzymes so more binds to receptors
also reduces inhibitory effect of glutamate so dopamine is even more excitable
short term effects of drug use
high heart rate/blood pressure
euphoria
reduced fatigue
hypersensitivity to surroundings
long term effects of drug use
restlessness
paranoia
psychosis
aggression
convulsions/toxic effects like overdose
nicotine and cocaine
stimulates CNS and peripheral nervous system
works on mesolimbic pathway and mimics acetylcholine which binds to nicotine and excites neurone to release more dopamine
repeated use causes desensitisation and addiction
Volkow et al
PET scans on human ppts found positive correlation between cocaine use and dopamine production
high intensified as more dopamine flooded pathways caused by cocaine and reduced as it wore off
Olds and Milner
lab experiment using rats found that the rats could give themselves pleasurable electric shocks by pressing a lever and returned repeatedly, behaving like drug addicts to the dopamine high
weaknesses of recreational drugs explaining behaviour
- reductionist, only look into a few brain regions involved
- animal studies cannot be generalised to humans so lower validity
