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LC INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOBIOLOGY > Psychopharmacology II > Flashcards

Psychopharmacology II Flashcards

(67 cards)

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1
Q

what is alcohol and how is it ingested?

A

one of the most consumed drugs, which is ingested by drinking

categorised as a depressant drug

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2
Q

at lower doses, what does alcohol produce?

A

behavioural stimulation

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3
Q

at higher doses, what does alcohol produce?

A

depression

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4
Q

what does the dose-response curve for alcohol show?

A

behavioural stimulation increases alongside dose increase, which causes inhibitory effects to kick in

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5
Q

how does alcohol effect the brain?

A

it enhances inhibitory neurotransmitters by bonding to GABA-A receptors and acting as an allosteric modulator

this enhances the flow of chloride ions into the brain and enhances the effect of GABA

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6
Q

how else does alcohol effect the brain?

A

it inhibits excitatory nerve transmission in NMDA (glutamate) receptors

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7
Q

what indirect effects does alcohol have?

A

indirect effects of neurotransmission in serotonin, opioid, and dopamine systems in the brain

increases mesolimbic dopamine transmission from action at cannabinoid receptors

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8
Q

long-term effects of alcohol use

A

heavy alcohol use can lead to negative general health issues, such as liver cirrhosis, increased risk of cancer, and foetal alcohol syndrome

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9
Q

how can long-term alcohol use affect the brain?

A

development of Korsakoff’s syndrome and vitamin deficiencies in thiamine/B1

this can lead to memory problems such as dementia

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10
Q

what happens when the brain adapts to chronic alcohol use?

A

leads to withdrawal syndrome, caused by a rebound of excitability

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11
Q

what is cocaine?

A

a stimulant drug extracted from leaves of the coca plant

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12
Q

route of administration for cocaine

A

via nasal mucous membranes or inhalation

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13
Q

physiological effects of taking cocaine

A

increased temperature, blood pressure, and heart rate- leading to potential heart problems

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14
Q

effects of cocaine on the brain

A

cocaine blocks dopamine transporters, which reduces re-uptake of dopamine into the neurone. to prolongs it duration in the synapse

indirectly enhances the effects of dopamine, making cocaine an indirect dopamine agonist

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15
Q

chronic, physical, and psychological effects of cocaine

A

can cause problems with lung congestion if smoked or damage to the nasal membrane if snorted

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16
Q

what can stimulant effects of cocaine lead to?

A

general cardiovascular problems or drug induced psychosis, e.g., formication

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17
Q

amphetamines

A

these have similar psychological effects to cocaine, and can be swallowed, snorted, injected, or smoked

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18
Q

types of synthetic stimulants

A

d-amphetamine
methamphetamine

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19
Q

differences between synthetic stimulants

A

methamphetamine is more lipid-soluble than d-amphetamine, meaning it crosses the membrane and is absorbed into the brain more quickly

this may explain its higher usage

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20
Q

effects of amphetamines

A

has initial effects of euphoria, wellbeing, and alertness which is followed by a ‘crash period’ consisting of irritability, paranoia and tremors

long-term use can lead to psychosis

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21
Q

nicotine

A

administered in tobacco products and nicotine replacement products

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22
Q

what is nicotine?

A

a direct agonist and a stimulant drug- acts as an agonist at acetylcholine receptors

this increases the release of neurotransmitters such as dopamine

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23
Q

what does nicotine not block?

A

cholinergic receptors

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24
Q

stimulant effects of caffeine

A

when taken acutely, it can increase alertness and motor coordination

those with higher sensitivity can experience negative effects such as panic attacks or anxiety

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25
what is caffeine?
a direct antagonist acting at adenosine receptors
26
what does caffeine have a natural link to?
dopamine- as adenosine receptors inhibit the activation of dopamine receptors by reducing inhibition, dopamine signalling is increased- meaning caffeine becomes a stimulant
27
types of opiates
can be naturally occurring in plants (morphine and codeine) or synthesised in a lab (heroin, fentanyl, or oxycodone)
28
how does heroin undergo metabolism?
heroin can cross the blood-brain barrier more easily than morphine it is metabolised into morphine in the brain, meaning that morphine causes the biological effect
29
types of opioid receptors
delta epsilon kappa mu sigma
30
why has the mu receptor received most attention?
action at this receptor brings about pain relieving effects of opioid drugs and is responsible for being dependence inducing
31
what are the psychoactive properties of heroin mediated by?
agonist action at mu receptors
32
what do endogenous opioid receptors (beta endorphin) bind to?
mu opioid receptors morphine and heroin bind to these same receptors in the brain
33
cannabis
the cannabis sativa plant contains active chemicals, and many effects are caused by the main ingredient Delta 9-THC
34
properties of THC
THC is metabolised and eliminated in urine it is lipid-soluble so must be transformed into water-soluble molecules to be eliminated
35
how does transformation of THC effect drug action?
the slow elimination and quick storage in fat is the reason for prolonged cannabis action
36
cannabis receptors in the brain
- CB1 and CB2 receptors
37
THC and cannabis receptors
THC acts as a direct agonist at these receptors, which enhances cannabinoid neurotransmission this also has effects on increasing dopamine release
38
which different mediating factors can underlie individual differences contributing to drug effects?
- kinetic differences - pharmacodynamic differences - idiosyncratic differences
39
kinetic differences
a different amount of drug reaches the site of action for same doses
40
pharmacodynamic differences
different psychological responses for the same drug concentration at the site of action
41
idiosyncratic differences
people may experience an atypical drug reaction due to genetics or prior exposure to toxins
42
body size and composition
the same dose produces a smaller response in a larger person, as it is diluted by a larger vascular system and distributed in greater blood volume
43
how can body size and composition be mediated?
doses should be titrated, so a larger person receives the same dose effect
44
age- effect of liver
metabolism can be affected by a change in liver mass and decrease in liver function, meaning it is unable to metabolise as many drugs
45
age- effect of kidneys
kidneys are less able to excrete drugs into the urine
46
age- other drugs
drug-drug interactions could alter the response 40% of older people do not take drugs as directed- issues with compliance
47
sex
women have lower plasma volume and a higher proportion of body fat, which can affect whether the drug is retained in fat hormonal effects can interact responses to a drug, and some drugs may be metabolised differently
48
how is alcohol metabolised?
it is metabolised by the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase, which is critical for converting alcohol into the metabolite acetaldehyde
49
what is acetaldehyde?
highly reactive and toxic- if this builds up it can have adverse effects, which may be the cause of hangovers acetaldehyde is transformed into acetic acid to be removed from the body
50
biotransformation of alcohol- sex
equivalent amounts of alcohol can have a greater effect on women than men, due to a smaller vascular capacity and lower levels of gastric alcohol dehydrogenase this means less alcohol will enter their blood
51
biotransformation of alcohol- presence of food in the stomach
drinking on a full stomach increases likelihood of alcohol being metabolised by gastric alcohol dehydrogenase the presence of food affects the amount of absorption
52
biotransformation of alcohol- genetics
racial and ethnic group can affect drug response due to underlying genetic differences, however this is not a perfect market
53
biotransformation of alcohol- ethnicity
genetic ancestry may be more relevant than self-identified race. individual knowledge of the genetic profile is most accurate for drug predictions
54
what can be found in individuals of asian heritage?
variants of the enzyme aldehyde dehydrogenase. these variants are linked to an increased response for alcohol, resulting in a reduced breakdown of acetaldehyde. may be the cause of a reduced tendency of drinking in this group.
55
african american smokers
have a slower rate of nicotine metabolism due to a genetic variation in the enzyme CYP2A6 this means less nicotine is needed to maintain the effects, and they may smoke less extensively
56
biotransformation of alcohol- sociocultural factors
different racial and ethnic groups experience different socioeconomic and cultural contexts, which can influence whether people try drugs of continue to use them this might relate to smokeless tobacco products in south asian households
57
which ethnic groups suffer greater harm from drug use?
women of colour are at greater risk for hypertension, high blood pressure, and HIV/AIDS. this can be related to difficulty in accessing affordable healthcare and mistrust in providers
58
tolerance
needing to escalate the dose to experience the same effect
59
sensitisation
taking less of the drug to experience the same effect
60
different kinds of tolerance
- metabolic tolerance - cellular tolerance
61
metabolic tolerance
the drug is metabolised faster with repeated use
62
cellular tolerance
target cells adjust their function to compensate for the action of drug on the cell
63
what is sensitisation more common for?
stimulant drugs, as the desire for the drug is becoming sensitised
64
placebo effect
a placebo is a drug that has no intrinsic pharmacological activity, but can produce behavioural and physiological effects that are indistinguishable from a real drug
65
expectancies
whether someone is told specific effects that are likely to occur will affect the response
66
how can forms of medication influence how people think about the effectiveness of a drug?
blue pills associated with a calming effect red pills associated with a stimulant effect smaller pills and larger doses believed to be less effective
67
what can expectancies have implications on?
how healthcare must present drugs and medication to patients

LC INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOBIOLOGY (8 decks)

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