Chapter 6: Drugs and the Brain Terms Flashcards
(22 cards)
Define:
Addiction
A complex brain disorder characterized by escalation, compulsive drug taking, and relapse.
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Agonist
A substance that enhances neurotransmitter function.
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Amphetamine
A synthetic compound that increases the neurotransmitter dopamine in the synaptic cleft by reversing the dopamine transporter.
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Antagonist
A substance that blocks neurotransmitter function.
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Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder [ADHD]
A developmental disorder characterized by core behavioral symptoms including impulsivity, hyperactivity, and/or inattention.
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Behavioral Myopia
“Nearsighted” behavior displayed under the influence of alcohol. Wherein local and immediate cues become prominent; remote cues and consequences are ignored.
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Competitive Inhibitor
A drug that competes with another drug for a receptor site; an example is naloxone, which acts quickly to block opioid action by competing with the opioid for binding sites.
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Disinhibition Theory
The explanation holding that alcohol has a selective depressant effect on the brain’s frontal cortex, which controls judgment, while sparing subcortical structures responsible for more innate behaviors, such as desire.
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Dopamine Hypothesis of Schizophrenia
The idea that excess dopamine activity causes symptoms of schizophrenia.
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Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder [FASD]
A range of physical and intellectual impairments observed in some children following significant alcohol exposure during gestation.
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Monoamine Oxidase [MAO] Inhibitor
A drug that blocks the enzyme monoamine oxidase from degrading such neurotransmitters as serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine.
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Psychoactive Drug
A substance that acts to alter mood, thought, or behavior; used to manage neuropsychological illness, but also may be taken recreationally.
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Psychomotor Activation
Increased behavioral and cognitive activity so that at certain levels of consumption, the person using a drug feels energetic and in control.
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Psychopharmacology
The study of how drugs affect the nervous system and behavior.
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Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor [SSRI]
A drug that blocks 5-hydroxytryptamine [5-HT] reupale into the presynaptic terminal; most commonly used to treat depression.
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Sensitization
Learned behavior in which repeated administration of a stimulus results in the progressive amplification of a response.
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Substance Use Disorder [SUD]
A diagnostic term for a pattern of drug use in which people rely on a drug chronically and excessively, allowing it to occupy central place in their life.
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Tolerance
A decrease in response to a drug with the passage of time.
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Tricyclic
A drug, characterized by its three=ting chemical structure, that blocks 5-hydroxytryptamine 95-HT0 reuptake transporter proteins.
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Wanting-And-Liking Theory
The explanation holding that both wanting and liking mediated by separate neural systems underlie addiction also called incentive sensitization theory.
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Withdrawal Symptom
Any of the physical and psychological behaviors displayed when drug use ends.
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Zoopharmacognosy
Behavior in which nonhuman animals self-medicate.
