Mod 5: Drugs & Addiction

Question 1

Which system do psychoactive drugs act on?

Answer 1

1. The nervous system
   This causes changes in conscious experience and behavior.

Question 2

What do psychoactive drugs consist of?

Answer 2

1. illicit drugs
2. legal drugs
3. prescription drugs.

Question 3

What are the characteristics of a drug?

Answer 3

1. Exogenous chemical
2. Not necessary for normal cellular functioning
3. Significantly alters the functions
4. Has effects in relatively small doses

Question 4

What drugs affect the conscious experience?

Answer 4

1. Alcohol
2. Marijuana
3. Stimulants
   
   • Caffeine
   • Cocaine
   • Nicotine
   • Methamphetamine & amphetamine
4. Hallucinogens
   
   • LSD
   • Ecstasy.

Question 5

What are the categories of drugs?

Answer 5

1. Drugs that relieve symptoms
2. Drugs that affect the conscious experience

Question 6

What drugs make up those that relieve symptoms?

Answer 6

1. Antipsychotic
2. Antidepressants
3. Anxiolytics
4. Opiates.

Question 7

Drugs are considered to be exogenous, therefore, before entering the body there must be…?

Answer 7

A route of administration
1. Inhalation (lungs/blood/brain)
2. Snorting (nasal passage/blood/brain)
3. Swallowing (is slower/ the body is able to metabolize it)
4. I.V.- Straight to blood/to the brain (most brain-direct route)

Question 8

Once the drug is in the body, how does it get access to the brain?

Answer 8

It must go through the B.B.B
Then it alters transmission @ synapses

Question 9

What is an antagonist?

Answer 9

1. Blocks receptors
2. Blocks terminal
   Drug the blocks or decreases the effectiveness of a NT

Question 10

What is an agonist?

Answer 10

A drug that mimics or increases the effectiveness of a NT.
- Activates receptor
- Blocks reuptake
- Blocks enzymatic degradation.

Question 11

What system do psychotropic drugs interact with to alter neural transmission?

Answer 11

With the components within the NT systems.

Question 12

What are examples of agonists that block reuptake?

Answer 12

Cocaine
* Cocaine blocks the dopamine transporter

Question 13

What are some drugs that activate the receptor?

Answer 13

1. Nicotine

    * Activates ACh receptor

2. Xanax
   • Activates GABA receptors

Question 14

An antagonist blocks the receptor. what drug performs this action?

Answer 14

Antipsychotics
* Block dopamine receptors

Question 15

Explain what drug effects depend on.

Answer 15

The effect depends on the dose of the drug (aka. dose-response curve)

Question 16

How does repeated drug administration alter the effects of the drug?

Answer 16

It alters the drug response curve, which influences the effect of the drug.

Question 17

Explain drug tolerance and its effect on the drug response curve.

Answer 17

Drug tolerance is decreased sensitivity due to high exposure to the drug.

*The curve shifts to the right
* If there is no increase in the dose, then the drug effect decreases.
* In order for there to be an effect, more of the drug is needed.

Question 18

How are drug tolerance & drug sensitization different from each other?

Answer 18

W/ tolerance your body becomes desensitized, whereas w/ sensitization your body becomes more sensitive to the effects w/o there being any changes in the drug dose.
!!! NOT AS COMMON !!!

Question 19

Repeated cocaine exposure has an effect on what pathway?

Answer 19

Has increased activity in the reinforcement pathway

Question 20

Explain the consequences that could stem from cross-tolerance.

Answer 20

Exposure to one drug can produce tolerance for other similar drugs.

Question 21

Provide an example of two drugs that could lead to cross-intolerance.

Answer 21

Alcohol & benzodiazepine (anti-depresso)
- Both are GABA receptors antagonist

Question 22

How does metabolic intolerance affect the site of action?

Answer 22

The full effect of the drug isn’t getting to the site of action

Question 23

What is functional tolerance?

Answer 23

Decreased responsiveness at the site of action

Question 24

Explain how the site of action becomes less responsive during functional tolerance.

Answer 24

1. Fewer receptors
2. Decreased efficiency of binding at receptors
3. Receptors become less responsive.

Question 25

Which type of drug shows functional tolerance?

Answer 25

Psychoactive drugs * As the brain compensates for changes due to drug

Question 26

What are the different types of antipsychotics?

Answer 26

1st gen antipsychotics - 2nd gen antipsychotics

Question 27

What are the characteristics of 1st gen antipsychotics?

Answer 27

- Relieve + symptoms of schizophrenia - Antagonist of dopamine receptors

Question 28

What are the characteristics of 2nd gen antipsychotics?

Answer 28

- Helps in receiving - symptoms - Has other actions other than being a dopamine antagonist * Blocks certain dopamine receptors

Question 29

Antidepressants can act to increase what?

Answer 29

Increased synaptic transmission

Question 30

What's the function of tricyclic antidepressants?

Answer 30

- Block reuptake of transmitter molecules into the presynaptic terminal

Question 31

What are examples of antidepressants?

Answer 31

1. Tricyclic antidepressants 2. Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAO) 3. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (S.S.R.Is)

Question 32

What are the different anxiolytics?

Answer 32

Benzodiazepines

Question 33

Explain how benzodiazepines help with anxiety.

Answer 33

- The reduce the excitability of neurons - Bind to specific sites on GABA receptors, enhance the activity of GABA to produce larger IPSPs

Question 34

What is a common benzodiazepine?

Answer 34

Xanax

Question 35

What are some recognizable opiates?

Answer 35

1. Heroin, methadone 2. Narcotics (pain relievers)

Question 36

What do opiates bind to?

Answer 36

Bind to opioid receptors concentrated in various regions of the brain.

Question 37

Opiates are agonists for...?

Answer 37

Mu opioid receptors *Inhibition of neuron

Question 38

Why are the effects of opioid drugs widespread?

Answer 38

Mu-opioid receptors are in most regions of the brain so its effects are felt across the brain.

Question 39

What drug is methadone used to reverse?

Answer 39

Combats heroin addiction

Question 40

How does methadone function?

Answer 40

1. Binds to the same receptor as an agonist (heroin & morphine) 2. Has a gradual effect (!! no crash = moderate withdrawal !!)

Question 41

What are the possible cons of methadone?

Answer 41

1. Still highly addictive 2. Less pleasurable, less dangerous.

Question 42

Why is Naloxone (Narcan) used for overdoses?

Answer 42

1. Opioid receptor antagonist 2. It reverses opioid overdose

Question 43

Opioids that Narcan reverses?

Answer 43

1. Morphine 2. Heroin 3. Fentanyl 4. Methadone

Question 44

What are the internal factors that increase the risk of drug addiction?

Answer 44

1. Genetics 2. Sex 3. Poor emotional regulation

Question 45

What external factors could increase the risk of drug addiction?

Answer 45

1. Context of exposure (exposure @ home/hospital) 2. Living situation (high drug rate neighborhood) 3. Poor family life

Question 46

Explain the "moral model" theory of addiction.

Answer 46

1. Weakness of character & lack of self-control CONS: punishments & scolding don't really work Ex: DARE/ "Just say no"

Question 47

Explain the "disease model" theory of addiction.

Answer 47

1. People need medical treatment rather than being punished CONS: no disease-like physical abnormality has been identified that cause addiction. Ex: The War on Drugs

Question 48

What is the positive reward model?

Answer 48

Drugs are reinforcing