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psgy1005 - addiction and the brain > cannabis > Flashcards

cannabis Flashcards

background, history, forms, pharmacology of marijuana, behavioural and physiological effects, cannabis abuse, treatment of cannabis use disorder, chronic cannabis use, clinical applications (48 cards)

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1
Q

what is cannabis produced from?

A

weedlike plant (cannabis sativa - hemp)

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2
Q

what are the uses of cannabis (the plant)?

A

rope

cloth

paper

seeds used for oil

birdfeed

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3
Q

what is the psychoactive agent in the cannabis plant?

A

Δ9Tetrahydocannabinol (THC)

found in all parts of the plant but concentrated in the sticky resin secreted the flowering tops of females plants

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4
Q

how many other non-psychoactive agents including cannabidiol (CBD)?

A

70

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5
Q

what is the history of cannabis?

A

8000 BC - archaeological record of hemp cord

2700 BC - medical use in China

2000 BC - religious use in India

1000 AD - Hashish use in Arab world

1850s - Western world learns of bioactivity

1937 - Marijuana Tax Act

1996 - first state laws legalising medical use

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6
Q

what are the different forms of cannabis?

A

marijuana

sinsemilla

hashish (solid)

hash oil

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7
Q

what is marijuana?

A

dried and crumpled leaves, small stems, flowering tops of the plant

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8
Q

what is sinsemilla?

A

pollination prevented

higher potency

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9
Q

what is hashish (solid)?

A

prepared from resin

potency varies with concentration

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10
Q

what is hash oil?

A

reduced alcoholic extract

single drop placed in a joint

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11
Q

what is the THC content?

A

typical joint contains approximately 0.5-1g of cannabis

a joint with 1g of cannabis, 4% THC content, contains 40mg of THC

THC content in samples analysed in 1995 contain 4% THC, raising to average of 15% in 2015

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12
Q

what is the pharmacology of smoking marijuana?

A

burning marijuana results in vaporisation of THC

THC readily absorbed through lungs into blood plasma

only about 20% of original THC is absorbed into lungs

absorption can be increased by breath holding (increased high with 15s breath hold vs 7s)

after peak levels reached, concentration falls (half-life of about 20-30 hours, metabolism in liver and fat storage)

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13
Q

what are the administration effects of smoking?

A

get into blood plasma quicker but decreases quicker

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14
Q

what are the administration effects of oral consumption?

A

ingestion - metabolism in liver - absorbed into blood plasma

slower/delayed effects relative to smoking (smoking bypasses liver metabolism, goes straight from lungs to blood plasma)

effect is more sustained, due to slower metabolism and absorption into blood plasma (lasting 4-8 hours)

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15
Q

what is the cannabinoid receptor?

A

cannabis receptor = CB1

agonist = THC

antagonist = SR141716

cannabis receptors active in areas consistent with behavioural effects

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16
Q

what was Huestis et al’s (2001) study into the antagonist effects?

A

effects of marijuana attenuated by treamtnet of CB1 antagonist (SR141716)

two groups = placebo and SR141716 group

responses recorded over next hour (rating of drug effect, increase in heart rate)

individuals with placebo had higher feeling high, feeling stoned and heart rate

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17
Q

what is the endocannabinoid system?

A

give the presence of natural (endo)cannabinoids - is there a normal regulatory function of the system

neurotransmitter = N-arachidonoylethanolamide

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18
Q

what are the effects of CB1 antagonist of the endocannabinoid system?

A

SR141716 induces hyperalgesia (higher pain sensitivity)

endocannabinoids = decreased responsiveness to pain

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19
Q

what did Varvel and Lichtman (2002) find out about the effects of CB1 knockout on the endocannabinoid system?

A

normal acquisition of spatial learning

impaired reversal learning

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20
Q

what did Marsicano et al (2002) find out about the effects of CB1 knockout on the endocannabinoid system?

Study These Flashcards
A

normal fear conditioning

impaired extinction

a deficit in unlearning/new learning

21
Q

what did Iversen (2000) say the behavioural effects of cannabis were?

Study These Flashcards
A

the “buzz”

the “high”

being “stoned”

psychopathology

22
Q

what is the “buzz”?

Study These Flashcards
A

brief perception light-headiness, dizziness

tingling sensations in the extremities

23
Q

what is the “high”?

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A

feelings of euphoria, exhilaration

disinhibition (the “giggles”)

24
Q

what is being “stoned”?

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A

reached with a sufficiently large amount of marijuana

feelings of being calm, relaxed and dreamlike

sensations of floating, enhanced visual and auditory perception

slowing of the perception of time

changes in sociability (increases or decreases)

25
what is the psychopathology of the behavioural effects of cannabis?
paranoia anxiety panic more likely in 1st time users or after high doses
26
what are the physiological effects of cannabis?
increased blood flow to skin (sensation of warmth) increase in heart rate (sensation of a pounding pulse) increase in hunger (the "munchies") - demonstrated in humans and rats hyperphagia (increased appetite and consumption)
27
what is hyperphagia?
induced by THC abolished by CB1 antagonist palatability increases in rats followed Δ9THC administration
28
what are the cognitive deficits?
oral THC administrated impairs verbal memory psychomotor functions affected, makes driving dangerous cognitive tolerance in heavy users dose dependent - low doses relatively few effects (especially in heavy users) task dependent - if tasks demands are high, impaired performance
29
what are the rewarding effects of cannabinoids?
Tanda et al (2000) phase 0 = intravenous cocaine - lever press phase 1 = extinguished with saline phase 2 = intravenous THC - lever press phase 3 = effect abolished with CB1 antagonist phase 4 = intravenous THC - lever press
30
what is conditioned place preference?
Valjent and Maldonado (2000) conditioned place preference with THC in mice only works in mice pre-exposed to THC in home cages (before being introduced to experimental apparatus) first experience = averse then rewarding
31
what is the age of initiation?
most widely used illicit drug in UK and US (4.6%, 14 million in US) age of initiation peaks at ~17 years old
32
is cannabis a gateway drug?
difficult to assess, perhaps some users are more disposed to try harder drugs? progression from initial to regular user?
33
what are the risk factors of cannabis use?
family disturbances drug use by family/peers school performance age of onset
34
what is tolerance?
needing a greater dose to achieve the same effect over time, people need more to achieve more effect
35
what are the tolerance results in human studies?
mixed result Compton et al (1990) - tolerance observed following repeated administration or marijuana or pure THC Kirt and de Wit (1999) , Lindgren et al (1981) - same "high" in light/infrequency users relative to heavy/frequent users
36
what are the results of tolerance animal studies?
more consistent Breivogel et al (1999) - rats daily injections of THC (10mg/kg) over three weeks progressive reduction in CB1 receptor density and CB1 receptor activity some brain areas totally desensitised in 3 weeks
37
what is dependence?
difficult stopping taking cannabis, craving it, withdrawal symptoms
38
what were Budney et al's (2003) and Kouri et al's (1999) studies into dependence?
abstinence triggers irritability, anxiety, depression, sleep disturbance, aggressiveness, decrease appetite resemble nicotine withdrawal symptoms worst in first two weeks - can last for over a month
39
what were animal studies into dependence?
early studies found no effect of drug withdrawal - but THC has no long half-life thus may still be present in system precipitated withdrawal (Aceto et al, 1996) - rats given twice daily THC injections, then given SR131716 (CB1 receptor antagonist), symptoms of hyperactivity (shaking, face rubbing, scratching) possible a consequence of rats being stressed (de Fonseca, 1997) - increased corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) in precipitated withdrawal rats
40
how is cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) used to treat cannabis use disorder?
participants rewarded with vouchers for providing cannabis-free urine samples significant relapse withdrawal symptoms may be eased by oral consumption of THC useful in short term, difficult to achieve long-term abstinence
41
what are the behavioural effects of chronic cannabis use?
Lynsky and Hall (2000) chronic cannabis use associated with poor education performance (more negative attitudes about school, poorer grades, increased absenteeism) amotivational syndrome (apathy, aimlessness, lack of productivity, long-term planning and motivation) regular cannabis use early in life predicts poor school performance and drop-out rates
42
what are the cognitive effects of chronic cannabis use?
cognitive deficits in long-term users (Solowij et al, 2002) - standardised tests of learning, memory and attention; long-term user deficit 1 and 7 days after exposure no different between heavy users and controls after 28 days of abstinence (Pope et al, 2001) - cognitive deficits linked to recent user (reversible over time)
43
what are the health effects of chronic cannabis use?
higher concentrations of carcinogens in cannabis smoke than tobacco - more tar and carbon monoxide/joint than a cigarette cardiovascular disorders cerebrovascular disorders immune system - THC suppresses immune function, increase risk of viral and bacterial infection reproductive function - smoking in women suppresses luteinizing hormone release (but can be tolerated), reduced sperm count in men (but only in heavy users)
44
what are the clinical applications of cannabis?
can be tracked back hundreds/thousands of years - late C19 and early C20 - crude extracts used in US and European treatments identification of THC - manufacture of synthetic compounds anecdotal evidence/limited clinical studies limited widespread use (especially in US) side effects joints more effective than synthetics
45
what is dronabinol?
antiemetic for chemotherapy patients
46
what is nabilone?
appetite stimulant for AIDS patients
47
how is cannabis used in the treatment of chronic pain?
multiple sclerosis spinal cord injury glaucoma
48
what is HU-211?
cannabinoid that doesn't activate CB1 receptors no side effects undergoing clinical trials

psgy1005 - addiction and the brain (15 decks)

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