Week Eight - Psychopharmacology Flashcards

1
Q

What is Psychopharmacology?

A

The study of drug induced changes in mood, thinking and behaviour and the effects of drugs on the NS

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What is a drug?

A

A exogenous chemical not necessary for normal cellular functioning which alters the activity of certain cells of the body.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Psychoactive drugs are typically utilised to do what 2 things?

A

Alter mood: Stimulant, Depressant or Hallucinogen

Treat psychopathology: Anxiolytics, Antidepressants, Antipsychotics

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What are Anxiolytics used for?

A

To reduce anxious feelings

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What are Antidepressants used for?

A

Used to alleviate negative feelings typical of depressive symptomatology

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What are Antipsychotics used for?

A

Used to treat severe forms of psychotic behaviour, such as hallucinations and delusions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is Pharmacokinetics?

A

The process by which drugs are absorbed, distributed, metabolised and excreted by the body.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What does Drug Effectiveness mean?

A

The ability of a drug to readily produce certain physiological and behavioural effects

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What factors mediate the effects of drugs?

A
How it is administered
How often it is administered
How rapidly it enters the brain
The context in which it is administered
Our expectations of its effects
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What do drugs need to do in order to be effective?

A

Reach their site of action within the CNS (typically do so through the bloodstream)

The route of administration effects this rate.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What is the blood brain barrier?

A

A barrier developed by the brain in order to protect itself against dangerous molecules that may damage brain tissue

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

How to drugs enter the brain?

A

Through the BBB (which is only for water-soluble molecules)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

How do molecules that are soluble in lipids enter the brain?

A

They pass through the BBB and enter the cells that line the capillaries of the CNS

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What is the best way to measure the effectiveness of a drug?

A

To plot a Dose-Response Curve (finally reaching a point after repeated administration which does not produce a more stronger effect)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Tolerance is the?

A

Decrease in effectiveness of a drug administered repeatedly

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Sensitisation is the?

A

Increase in the effectiveness of a drug that is administered repeatedly

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What is Contingent Drug Tolerance?

A

Refers to a demonstration in which tolerance develops only to drug effects that are actually experienced contingent to a behaviour

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What is Conditioned Drug Tolerance?

A

Refers to situations where tolerance effects are maximally expressed only when a drug is administered in the same situation in which it has previously been administered

19
Q

What is a Placebo?

A

An innocuous substance that has no specific physiological effect in its own right (incorrect to say they have no effect)

20
Q

What are the 2 types of drugs that affect synaptic transmission?

A

Antagonist: A drug that opposes/inhibits the effects of a particular NT on the postsynaptic cell

Agonist: A drug that facilitates the effects of a particular NT on the postsynaptic cell

21
Q

What is the DIRECT route of an Antagonist and Agonist?

A

The binding cite at the receptor is the same for the drug and the NT (COMPETITIVE BINDING)

22
Q

What is the INDIRECT route of an Antagonist and Agonist?

A

The binding cite at the receptor is different for the drug and the NT (NONCOMPETITIVE BINDING)

23
Q

Acetylcholine (ACh) properties/role?

A

First NT ever discovered

Controlling heart rate
Motor movement
Role in Memory (Alzheimer’s is a degeneration of ACh neurons)

24
Q

What are the 5 biogenic amine NT?

A
Norepinephrine (noradrenaline)
Epinephrine (adrenaline)
Dopamine
Histamine
Serotonin
25
Q

Which of the 5 biogenic amine NT’s are Catecholamines?

A

Norepinephrine (noradrenaline)
Epinephrine (adrenaline)
Dopamine

THEY SHARE A BIOSYNTHETIC PATHWAY

26
Q

Norepinephrine (NE)

A

Distributed throughout the CNS and PNS

Neurons originate in the pons (locus coeruleus)

They form an excitatory pathway to the cortex known at the RAS - which is responsible for maintaining cortical arousal)

Involved in controlling attention, emotion and eating, regulates organs (eg heart)

27
Q

Norepinephrine (NE) deficiency results in?

A

Depression and ADD

28
Q

What 2 pathways is dopamine located?

A

The nigrostriatal pathway: Involves voluntary movement.
Deficiencies - Parkinsons.

Ventral Tegmental Area (VTA): Involvement in reward and motivation.

29
Q

D1 like receptor family consists of?

A

D1 & D5

30
Q

D2 like receptor family consists of?

A

D2, D3 & D4

31
Q

What is Serotonin (SE) (5-HT) involved in?

A

Distributed throughout the brain and spinal cord.

Involved in: Control of sleep/wake cycle, mood, impulsive behaviour, and appetite

32
Q

Serotonin deficiency is related to?

A

Behavioural problems: Sleep disorders, aggression, besity, anorexia, and depression

33
Q

What do amino acid transmitters do?

A

Provide the majority of excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission in the NS

34
Q

Explain Ionotropic receptors

A

Respond to ligand binding by opening an ion channel and allowing ions to flow into the cell, either increasing or decreasing the likelihood that an action potential will fire.

Have an effect only in the immediate region of the receptor

35
Q

Explain Metabotropic receptors

A

Do not form an ion channel pore but use signal transduction mechanisms, often G proteins, to activate a series of intracellular events using second messenger chemicals.

Can be more widespread throughout the cell.

36
Q

The stimulant and reinforcing effects of cocaine and amphetamine and largely mediated by what system?

A

The Dopamine System

Disruption, destruction and lesions block reinforcing effects of related activity

37
Q

What is cross tolerance?

A

One drug can produce tolerance to another drug that act by the same mechanism

38
Q

What is metabolic tolerance?

A

It results from changes that reduce the amount of the drug reaching the sites of action

39
Q

What is functional tolerance?

A

It results from changes that reduce the reactivity of the sites of action to the drug.

40
Q

Dopamine increases induced by THV are mediated by?

A

Cannabinoid and opioid receptors.

41
Q

MDMA has what properties?

A

Stimulant and Hallucinogenic

42
Q

What external factors can make the brain go wrong?

A
Malnutrition
Parental abuse
Toxins
Infections
Trauma
43
Q

What internal factors can make the brain go wrong?

A

Developmental problems
Acquired abnormalities
Age-related damage

44
Q

What do Psychedelics do?

A

Take away limitations and increases brain flexibility. They inhibit the DMN which regulates executive functioning