Chapter 4: Psychopharmacology Flashcards

1
Q

Psychopharmacology

A

The study of the effects of drugs on the nervous system and behavior

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2
Q

Drug

A

An exogenous chemical not necessary for normal cellular functioning that significantly alters the functions of certain cells of the body when taken in relatively low doses

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3
Q

Two major aspects of drug influence:

A

Drug effects and sites of action

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4
Q

Drug effect

A

the changes we can observe in an individual’s physiological processes and behavior

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5
Q

Sites of action

A

the points at which molecules of drugs interact with molecules located on or in cells of the body, thus affecting some biochemical processes of these cells

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6
Q

Psychopharmacologists study drugs that affect the nervous system and behavior in two broad classes: ________ drugs and drugs of _____

A

therapeutic; abuse

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7
Q

Pharmacokinetics is ___.

A

the life cycle of a drug molecule.

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8
Q

Steps of pharmacokinetics:

A

1.) Absorption
2.) Distribution within the body
3.) Metabolized
4.) Excretion

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9
Q

Drug is administered and absorbed through tissues

A

Absorption

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10
Q

Drug is distributed throughout the body and blood

A

Distribution

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11
Q

Drug is changed to an inactive form by enzymes (usually in liver)

A

Metabolism

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12
Q

Drug is excreted in urine by kidneys

A

Excretion

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13
Q

Routes of drug administration (absorption):

A

Intravenous injection, intraperitoneal injection, intramuscular injection, subcutaneous injection,
intracerebral administration, intracerebroventricular (ICV) administration, oral administration, sublingual administration, inhalation, topical administration

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14
Q

The fastest route of administration is ________ injection

A

intravenous

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15
Q

Routes of administration used if the drug can’t cross the blood-brain barrier

A

Intracerebral administration and ICV administration

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16
Q

The most common route of administration is ________ ______

A

oral administration

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17
Q

Insufflation, or “snorting,” is considered _______ administration

A

topical

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18
Q

True or false: Drugs exert effects only at their sites of action

A

True

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19
Q

Most sites of action are located on or in cells of the CNS/PNS.

A

CNS

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20
Q

The most important factor in determining the rate of distribution is ____ _______ because ________

A

lipid solubility; fat molecules can cruise on through the BBB

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21
Q

True or false: Not all drugs are excreted

A

False, all drugs are eventually excreted, mostly by the kidneys

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22
Q

Many drugs are metabolized and deactivated by _______ in the brain and liver

A

enzymes

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23
Q

During metabolism, sometimes enzymes transform molecules into ________ versions.

A

more active

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24
Q

The dose-response curve locates the point of _________ _____.

A

maximum effect

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25
Q

True or false: most drugs have more than one effect

A

True

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26
Q

The _________ _____ measures a drug’s margin of safety

A

Therapeutic index

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27
Q

Why are some drugs more effective than others?

A

Sites of action; affinity of a drug with its site of action

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28
Q

Affinity

A

The readiness with which the two molecules join together

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29
Q

The most desirable drug has high/low affinity for sites of action producing therapeutic effects and high/low affinity for sites of action producing toxic side effects

A

high; low

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30
Q

Often, when a drug is administered repeatedly, its effects _______, which is called tolerance.

A

diminish

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31
Q

Sometimes a drug becomes more and more effective after repeated administration, called _________.

A

Sensitization

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32
Q

After someone has built up tolerance to a certain drug and they suddenly stop taking it, they may experience __________ symptoms

A

withdrawal

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33
Q

Withdrawal symptoms indicates _______ _______.

A

Physical dependence

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34
Q

Compensatory mechanisms the brain uses in response to repeated use of a drug:

A

Decrease the effectiveness of binding with receptors; coupling process

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35
Q

An inactive substance that may have physiological or psychological effects

A

Placebo

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36
Q

The effects of a placebo results from changes in _______, _______, or _______.

A

motivation, expectation, learning

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37
Q

True or false: Placebo studies for new drugs are required by the FDA

A

True

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38
Q

______ drugs facilitate postsynaptic effects

A

Agonist

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39
Q

_________ drugs block or inhibit postsynaptic effects

A

Antagonists

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40
Q

Most drugs affecting behavior affect ______ _______

A

Synaptic transmission

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41
Q

A drug that mimics the effects of a neurotransmitter acts as a ______ ______

A

direct agonist

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42
Q

How do direct agonists work?

A

Direct agonists attach to the binding site to which the neurotransmitter normally attaches, causing the receptor to respond in the same way as when the neurotransmitter is present.

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43
Q

Some drugs act as antagonists by __________________

A

preventing release of NTs from the terminal button

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44
Q

Other drugs act as agonists by ______________________

A

binding with proteins and triggering release of NTs

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45
Q

An analogy for the direct agonist is the right/wrong key in the keyhole

A

right

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46
Q

An analogy for the receptor blocker (direct antagonist) is the right/wrong key in keyhole

A

wrong

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47
Q

How do receptor blockers (direct antagonists) work?

A

Binds with postsynaptic receptors but does not open the ion channel or trigger intracellular events

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48
Q

Another word for a direct antagonist is ________ _____

A

receptor blocker

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49
Q

Noncompetitive binding occurs when postsynaptic receptor sites have _____ binding site

A

more than one

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50
Q

In ___________ _______, molecules of the neurotransmitter bind with one site, and other substances bind with the others

A

noncompetitive binding

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51
Q

Examples of an indirect antagonist:

A

PCP, ketamine

52
Q

Examples of an indirect agonist

A

Valium

53
Q

Which two processes result in the termination of the postsynaptic potential?

A

Reuptake; deactivation via enzyme

54
Q

If reuptake is blocked, would it have an agonist or antagonist effect?

A

Agonist, causing the neighboring neuron to be more likely to fire

55
Q

If a deactivating enzyme is blocked, would it have an agonist or antagonist effect?

A

Agonist

56
Q

Unlike neurotransmitters, __________ adjust the release rather than directly shooting them off.

A

neuromodulaters

57
Q

Function of NT Glutamate:

A

Excitatory; interacts with other neurotransmitter systems

58
Q

Which two NTs do the most work in the brain?

A

Glutamate (excitatory); GABA (inhibit)

59
Q

Function of NT GABA:

A

Inhibitory; interacts with other neurotransmitter systems

60
Q

Function of NT Dopamine:

A

Voluntary movement, attention, learning, reinforcement, planning, problem solving

61
Q

Function of NT Norephinephrine/epinephrine

A

Vigilance

62
Q

Function of NT Serotonin:

A

Mood regulation, eating, sleep, dreaming, arousal, impulse control

63
Q

CNS Function of NT Histamine:

A

Wakefulness

64
Q

PNS function of NT Histamine:

A

Immune response

65
Q

PNS function of NT Serotonin:

A

Enteric nervous system (digestive)

66
Q

PNS function of NTs Norepinephrine/Epinephrine

A

Autonomic nervous system regulation

67
Q

CNS function of Opioids:

A

Reinforcement, pain modulation

68
Q

PNS function of Opioids:

A

Pain modulation

69
Q

CNS function of Endocannabinoids:

A

Appetite regulation

70
Q

PNS function of Endocannabinoids:

A

Immune response

71
Q

Two amino acid NTs in the brain:

A

Glutamate and GABA

72
Q

Amino acid NT in the spinal cord and lower brain stem:

A

Glycine (inhibitory)

73
Q

The main excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain and spinal cord is _______

A

Glutamate

74
Q

Four major types of receptor sites of glutamate:

A

NMDA receptor, AMPA receptor, kainate receptor, metabotropic glutamate receptor

75
Q

____ blocks the glutamate binding site

A

AP5

76
Q

The inhibitory neurotransmitter with widespread distribution in brain and spinal cord.

A

GABA

77
Q

GABA-secreting neurons exhibit inhibitory influence to help keep brain ______

A

stable

78
Q

_______ may be the result of lacking or poorly functioning GABA-secreting neurons or receptors

A

Seizures (too much going on at once!)

79
Q

GABA(a) receptors are ionotropic/metabotropic and control _____ channels.

A

ionotropic; chloride

80
Q

ACh functions in CNS/PNS.

A

Both…trick question, girl. ; )

81
Q

In the PNS, ACh is the primary neurotransmitter to control _______ ________.

A

muscle contraction

82
Q

In the CNS, ACh is located mostly in the _________ and is important for _______ and ______.

A

brain stem; REM sleep; learning

83
Q

The ionotropic ACh receptor is stimulated by _______.

A

Nicotine

84
Q

The metabotropic ACh receptor is stimulated by _________.

A

muscarine

85
Q

ACh is deactivated by the enzyme ________, present in the postsynaptic membrane

A

AChE

86
Q

AChE inhibitors are used to treat ___________ _______. How?

A

myasthenia gravis; By inhibiting the inhibitor. What power.

87
Q

Monoamine neurotransmitters:

A

Dopamine, norepinephrine, epinephrine, serotonin (because they have more of a modulating effect)

88
Q

________ modulate functions of widespread regions of the brain, either increasing or decreasing brain functions.

A

Monoamines

89
Q

True or False: Dopamine is inhibitory.

A

False; DA produces both excitatory and inhibitory postsynaptic potentials, depending on the postsynaptic receptor

90
Q

Dopamine affects _______, _______, _______, and reinforcing effects of ______.

A

movement, attention, learning, drugs

91
Q

The three most important DA pathways originate in the ________.

A

Midbrain

92
Q

Three most important DA pathways:

A

1.) Nigrostriatal system
2.) Mesolimbic system
3.) Mesocortical system

93
Q

The Nigrostriatal system helps with ________.

A

Movement

94
Q

The mesolimbic system helps with ________.

A

reward

95
Q

The mesocortical system helps with ________ and ________.

A

memory; planning

96
Q

Degeneration of dopaminergic neurons that connect the substantia nigra with the caudate nucleus causes ______________.

A

Parkinson’s disease

97
Q

List the catecholamines:

A

Dopamine
Norepinephrine
Epinephrine

98
Q

List the indolamines:

A

Serotonin

99
Q

List the ethylamines:

A

Histamine

100
Q

Origin and location of terminal buttons of the nigrostriatal system:

A

Substantia nigra –> neostriatum (caudate nucleus and putamen)

101
Q

Origin and location of terminal buttons of the mesolimbic system:

A

Ventral tegmental area –> Nucleus accumbens, amygdala, hippocampus

102
Q

Origin and location of terminal buttons of the mesocortical system:

A

Ventral tegmental area –> prefrontal cortex

103
Q

Synthesis of the catecholamines:

A

1.) Tyrosine
*tyrosine hydroxylase
2.) L-DOPA
*DOPA decarboxylase
3.) Dopamine
*Dopamine Beta-hydroxylase
4.) Norepinephrine

104
Q

People with Parkinson’s disease are often given the drug ______, which can cross the BBB for conversion to dopamine

A

L-DOPA

105
Q

The dopamine receptors are ionotropic/metabotropic

A

metabotropic

106
Q

___________ ___________ remove dopamine from the synapse

A

Dopamine transporters

107
Q

Deactivation of catecholamines is regulated by an enzyme called ______.

A

MAO

108
Q

Norepinephrine is found in the CNS/PNS.

A

Both. Burn. 🔥

109
Q

Norepinephrine is made when vesicles fill with ___, then an enzyme converts to NE.

A

DA

110
Q

NE is released through _______ ________.

A

Axonal varicosities

111
Q

NE receptors are ionotropic; metabotropic

A

metabotropic

112
Q

The _________ ________ removes excess norepinephrine from the synapse

A

Norepinephrine transporter

113
Q

_______ deactivates excess norepinephrine in the terminal buttons

A

MAO-A

114
Q

Serotonin is found in __ clusters, most located in the raphe nuclei of the midbrain, pons, and medulla

A

9

115
Q

The precursor for 5-HT (serotonin) is ______.

A

tryptophan

116
Q

Serotonin plays a role in regulation of _____, control of ______, ______, _______, ___ regulation, and _______.

A

mood, eating, sleep, arousal, pain, dreaming

117
Q

The ________ _______ removes 5-HT from the synapse

A

Serotonin transporter

118
Q

Drugs that inhibit the uptake of serotonin:

A

Fluoxetine (Prozac–depression, some anxiety, OCD)
MDMA (Ecstasy…hallucinating much?)

119
Q

Histamine pathways are found only in the ________.

A

hypothalamus

120
Q

Drugs that block histamines cause drowsiness, acting as agonists/antagonists.

A

antagonists

121
Q

Two or more amino acids linked by peptide bonds

A

Peptides

122
Q

True or false: peptides are released from all parts of the terminal button

A

True

123
Q

The best known peptides are ___________ _______, and their receptors are called enkephalins.

A

endogenous opioids

124
Q

The natural ligands for peptide receptors are called _________.

A

enkephalins

125
Q

Naloxone is used clinically to reverse ______.

A

overdose

126
Q

_____ neurotransmitters appear to be synthesized on demand, produced, or released as needed rather than stored in synaptic vesicles.

A

Lipid

127
Q

The best known lipid neurotransmitters are ____________, responsible for the effects of THC in marijuana

A

endocannabinoids