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PSGY1005 Addiction and the Brain > steroids > Flashcards

steroids Flashcards

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The Brain flashcards
1
Q

what are steroids?

A
  • can be performance enhancements
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2
Q

what effects can steroids have, especially in women?

A
  • androgenic side effects (male sex hormone)
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3
Q

what hormones chemical structure = similar to anabolic steroids?

A
  • testosterone
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4
Q

give ways that steroids can be used

A
  • oral
  • injection (intramuscularly = injected into muscle)
  • creams/gels
  • patches
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5
Q

identify the factors depending on what the user is trying to achieve with steroids

A
  • steroid of choice
  • route of administration
  • dosage regime
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6
Q

what dose of steroids do endurance athletes and sprinters use?

A

low doses

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7
Q

what dose of steroids do bodybuilders and strength athletes use?

A

up to 100x the therapeutic dose

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8
Q

what potential risk is there from orally taking steroids?

A
  • potentially metabolise too fast in the liver
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9
Q

what does the term ‘stacking’ make reference to?

A
  • refers to the use of more than one steroid at a time
  • aka dosing regimes
  • thought to enhance overall effectiveness of steroid use
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10
Q

what does the term ‘cycled’ make reference to?

A
  • idea that steroids are taken for 6-12 weeks
  • then user abstains
  • reduced occurrence of side effects
  • maximises performance
  • avoids detection
  • minimises tolerance
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11
Q

what does the term ‘pyramiding’ make reference to?

A
  • refers to when user gradually increases dose to midpoint of usage (3-6 week mark)
  • then gradually decreases (6-12 week mark)
  • this reduces withdrawal
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12
Q

identify physical effects of steroids (anabolic)

A
  • increase muscle size/muscle mass
  • increase strength
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13
Q

identify physical effects of steroids (androgenic)

A
  • masculinising properties
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14
Q

identify physical effects of steroids (therapeutic)

A
  • anti-inflammatory
  • boost red blood cells in cases of anaemia
  • anabolic effects useful in building muscle mass in the bed-ridden
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15
Q

outline Bhasin et al. (2001) study into the role of testosterone-like effects of steroids

A
  • studied group of healthy mean
  • ages 18-35 years old
  • men had prior weightlifting experience
  • had not taken steroids previously
  • group was given monthly treatments of testosterone
  • also given another drug to suppress endogenous testosterone (internally produced testosterone)

FINDINGS
- when given 25-50mg doses -> testosterone levels = below baseline
- when given 125g doses -> testosterone = at baseline
- when given 300 and 600mg doses -> testosterone = 2-4 times more than baseline

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16
Q

explain the ‘steroids act at androgen receptors’ hypothesis that attempts to explain the mechanisms of steroids

A
  • androgen receptors = present in cytoplasm of skeletal muscle
  • androgens bind to and activate receptor
  • this moves to cell nucleus and regulates DNA transcription of specific genes
  • androgen receptor activation = increases protein synthesis and muscle growth
17
Q

what is a problem for the hypothesis ‘steroids act at androgen receptors’?

A
  • normally androgen receptors = usually already saturated/fully occupied
  • if this is case, steroid can not work on receptors
18
Q

identify 2 alternative hypothesis for steroids mechanisms of action

A

1/ idea that steroid treatment induces receptor expression in muscle

2/ idea that androgens are antagonists for glucocorticoid hormones (these are catabolic), decrease protein synthesis and increase protein breakdown

19
Q

what can testosterone be converted into in some tissue?

A
  • dihydrotestosterone
  • by 5alpha-reductase
  • estradiol (major oestrogen)
  • by aromatase
20
Q

what effect does converting testosterone in dihydrotestosterone have?

A

androgenic effects

21
Q

where does the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone NOT take place?

A

skeletal muscle

22
Q

what effect does converting testosterone in estradiol have?

A
  • mediates testosterone effects on CNS
  • this has feminising effects
23
Q

identify some side effects of steroid use

A
  • high blood pressure
  • jaundice
  • severe acne
  • male pattern baldness
  • facial hair in women
  • increased libido
  • testicular shrinkage
  • reduced sperm count
  • menstrual abnormalities
  • enlargement of clitoris
  • breast growth in men
24
Q

identify some side effects of steroid use

A
  • high blood pressure
  • jaundice
  • severe acne
  • male pattern baldness
  • facial hair in women
  • increased libido
  • testicular shrinkage
  • reduced sperm count
  • menstrual abnormalities
  • enlargement of clitoris
  • breast growth in men
25
Q

what evidence is there for addiction to steroids?

A
  • taking more than intended
  • unable to cut down despite wanting to
  • too much time spent obtaining and using
  • replacing other activities with substance use
26
Q

what withdrawal symptoms are seen in steroid users?

A
  • fatigue
  • depression
  • insomnia
  • restlessness
  • anorexia
  • decreased libido
  • no large-scale studies to confirm
27
Q

outline evidence for the reinforcing properties of steroids

A
  • comes from animal studies
  • using conditioned place preference task
  • used 2 distinct chambers
  • one chamber = paired with drug administration
  • lab studies shown that both systemic testosterone and testosterone injected into nucleus accumbens = produced conditioned place preference in mice
  • nucleus accumbens = dopaminergic neural substrate of reward
28
Q

what is the conditioned place preference blocked by?

A
  • D1/D2 antagonist
  • alpha-flupenthixol
29
Q

what evidence is there to suggest that steroids are not reinforcing?

A
  • no reports of self-administration in animal studies
  • steroid usage does not produce euphoria
  • steroid usage does not elicit cravings during withdrawal
30
Q

identify social issues with steroids

A
  • boys as young as 12 using anabolic steroids
  • 20,000 people in the UK have tried anabolic steroids
31
Q

identify legal issues with steroids

A
  • class C drugs
  • sold only by pharmacists with prescription from Dr
  • it is legal to possess/import steroids
  • to use post, courier, freight to import/export steroids = illegal
  • possession/importing with intent to supply = illegal

PSGY1005 Addiction and the Brain (18 decks)

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