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Pharmacology > Ch 32: Drugs of Abuse > Flashcards

Ch 32: Drugs of Abuse Flashcards

(49 cards)

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1
Q

Mesolimbic Dopamine System

A

“reward pathway”
- a dopaminergic pathway in the brain
Note:
(this pathway connects the ventral segmental area in the midbrain to the ventral striatum of the basal ganglia in the forebrain?

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2
Q

THC withdrawal

A
  • mild & short lived: restlessness, irritability, mild agitation, insomnia, nausea, cramping

other cannabinoids:

  • Dronabinol: FDA approved
  • Nabilone: chronic pain management
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3
Q

What’s opiate tolerance?

A

initially:
activation of the mu receptor lead to inhibition of less cAMP

Now:
up regulation of AC, increased cAMP activates cAMP response element bending protein (CREB)

  • also during withdrawal the nucleus accumbens start producing dynorphin (kappa agonist)
    it gets released onto the VTA
    & reduces its DA release
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4
Q

physical dependence

A

“dependence”
- caused by chronic use of a tolerance-forming drug

(higher dose used, the greater the duration of use)
can cause severe withdrawal syndromes

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5
Q

Nucleus accumbens

A

promotes satiety (5-HT) and desire (DA)

may increase DA and reduce 5-HT in addiction

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6
Q

Prefrontal cortex

A

conscious component

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7
Q

DMT

A

Dimethyltryptamine (similar to 5-HT)

- hallucinogenic

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8
Q

Nicotine

A
  • drug that act through ion channels

- act through nicotinergic cholinergic receptors

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9
Q

Psilocybin

A

similar to LSD & mescaline

- from psilocybin mushrooms

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10
Q

Sniffing

A

inhalation from an open container

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11
Q
  1. Impact DA transport
A
  • prevent DA re-uptake (increasing DA at VTA targets)
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12
Q

physiological dependence

A

“addiction”

  • the emotional and mental processes that’s associated with the development of and recovery from a substance use disorder/process addiction
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13
Q

THC effects

A
  • presynaptic inhibition at THC receptors

- THC receptors will inhibit the release of GABA onto the VTA DA- secreting neuron

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14
Q

Huffing

A

soaking a cloth in the “stuff” prior to inhalation

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15
Q

cocaine:

A

blocks DA uptake (especially in nucleus accumbens) leads to reward effects

can be abolished in mice w/ cocaine-insensitive DA transporter

has local anesthetic effect: Blocks NA+ channels
block NE uptake
leads to increased intracranial hemorrhage, stroke, MI, seizures

note: constricts Blood Vessels (nasal damage)

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16
Q

Alcohol

A
  • drug that act through ion channels
  • effect GABA-A, Adenosine re-uptake, glycine receptor, NMDA receptor, 5-HT3 receptor
  • dependence (6-12 hrs after cessation of heavy drinking)
      • tremors, nausea, sweating, agitation, anxiety
  • cause visual, tactile, auditory hallucinations
  • seizures or delirium tremors (5-15% mortality)
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17
Q

Bagging

A

breathing in and out of a bad it is in

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18
Q

Ecstacy (MDMA)

A
  • methylene-dioxymethamphetamine
  • related to amphetamines
  • cause feelings of intimacy & empathy, used in psychotherapy
  • Raves

– may permanently deplete 5-HT (selective for serotonin transporter mechanism)

– acute effects: hyperthermia, dehydration, autonomic, hyperactivity, change in mental status, seizures

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19
Q

How do drugs of abuse activate the mesolimbic system?

A
  1. activate receptors that couple to GIO.
  2. activate receptors
  3. Impact DA transport
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20
Q

abuse is

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A

“wanting together high”

21
Q

Misuse is

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A

“taking too much”

- taking more than what was prescribed

22
Q

Mu opioid Drugs

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A
  • Morphine, heroine (diacetylmorphine, quickly metabolized to morphine)
  • Codeine, oxycodone, meperidine (esp. in health care professionals)
  • strong tolerant & dependence
  • Withdrawal (dysphoria, nausea, vomiting, muscle aches, lacrimation, rhinorrhea (runny nose), mydriasis (dilated pupils), piloerection, sweating, diarrhea, yawning, fever
23
Q

Inhalants

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A

recreational exposure to nitrates, ketones, or hydrocarbons of volatile containers

(can cause white matter lesions in the CNS)

sniffing
huffing
bagging

(prevalent in children & youths)

24
Q

Opiates

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A
  • knockout mice lacking mu receptor
  • do not knock. out sigma or kappa
  • do not show signs of dependence, analgesia or reward
  • show dramatic tolerance effects to opiate addiction
  • do not show physiologic effects (respiratory depression)
25
what causes addiction?
- feelings of euphoria & active reward systems - repeating doses (can lead to tolerance) - if drug can no longer be accessed, you'll get withdrawal symptoms = DEPENDENCE ADDICTION = when one keeps using a drug despite negative consequences (compulsively seek/ wanting without liking) NOT ALL USERS BECOME ABUSERS 1/6 COCAINE USERS BECOME ADDICTS
26
1. activate receptors that couple to GIO.
- mostly at GABA receptors, causing hyperpolarization, and disinhibition (more DA release)
27
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)
- euphoria, relaxation - well-being - grandiosity - altered perception - dose dependent visual distortions (drowsiness, diminished, coordination, memory impairment) - increased appetite - reduced nausea - decreased intraoccqular pressure - relief from chronic pain
28
systemic administration of most drug abuse
leads to the VTA bursting with DA
29
LSD
Acts at 5-HT-2a receptors - created by Albert Hoffmann - from Ergot of Rye (1939) * ergot produces lysergic acid
30
what causes a person to relapse?
re-exposure to the drug stress go back to a context that recalls prior drug use
31
LSD (Lysergic Acid Diethylamide)
- causes hallucinations - DO NOT CAUSE DEPENDENCE/ ADDICTION - do not increase DA release in mesolimbic structures & are NOT REWARDING
32
Class I drugs
- opioids (mu opioid receptor) - Cannabinoids (cannabinoid receptor) - Gamma Hydroxy Butyric Acid (GHB) (GABA-b) - LSD, Mescaline, psilocybin (5-HT 2a receptor)
33
alcohol treatment?
- Benzos to deal w/ anxiety and agitation | - be supportive
34
Hippocampus
involved in memory production | it is a "good memory" of that drug participation
35
Mescalines
from peyote cactus - used by native Americans & native Mexican American in rituals - similar to LSD actions = hallucinogenic, etc.
36
Drugs that inhibit amine transport
cocaine amphetamines MDMA
37
why abuse drugs?
``` alter consciousness build body escape pleasure prevent withdrawal effects ```
38
disinhibition
- when VTA is inhibited from releasing DA - Opiates can act at mu opioid receptors (MOR) and prevent GABA release (normally inhibits DA neurons from firing) by inhibiting Ca2+ influx or by increasing K+ conductance, & inhibiting GABA release
39
Amphetamines
- synthetic sympathomimetics that cause release of amines (dopamine, norepinephrine) - inhibit storage by inhibiting vesicular monoamine transported (VMAT) - increase in catecholamines - increase arousal and reduce sleep - DA increases to induce reward - psychoses, hallucinations, & anorexic effects
40
drug abuse tragedies
illicit use for non-medical purposes
41
Amygala
adds an agreeable/disagreeable nature to an event | may add to the "it was good" nature of drug participation
42
GHB effects
- acts as GABA-b receptors on both pre-synaptic cell and VTA DA-secreting neurons - the presynaptic GABA neurons are more sensitive to GHB = overall effect seems to be in favor of disinhibition of the pre-synaptic cell release of GABA
43
Ergotism
- convulsive ergotism includes: shakiness, tremor, convulsions, hallucination - (witchcraft??) --> Salem witch trials?
44
Ketamine & PCP
- drug that act through ion channels - develop as general anesthetics (induce anesthesia) - act as NMDA receptors - neither are addictive, BUT can be psychedelics - chronic use can lead to schizophrenia-like psychosis PCP --> "angel dust" Ketamine --> "special K" (both are white, crystalline powders, can be sold as liquid, capsules, pills, and can be snorted, ingested, injected, and smoked)
45
Ventral Tegmental Area (VTA) protects to:
Nucleus accumbens Amygala Hippocampus Prefrontal cortex (mostly DA/dopamine releasing neurons)
46
2. activate receptors
- open ion channels to cause disinhibition or excitation (more DA release)
47
what happens when VTA start releasing DA?
- once DA is released, it starts bursting onto other sites | - leads to an "award" (press a lever so it can happen again)
48
Cocaine
- from Erythroxylon coca in Andes - - water soluble (in hydrochloride form) injected or absorbed in mucosa -- when heated in alkaline solution= becomes free base can be smoked
49
Benzodiazepines
- drug that act through ion channels - act at GABA-a receptors - withdrawal effects last just a few days

Pharmacology (17 decks)

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