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Psych 207 > Psychostimulants > Flashcards

Psychostimulants Flashcards

1
Q

Psychostimulants are Sympathomimetics which means they…

A

mimic the effects of sympathetic nervous system

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2
Q

6 Types of psychostimulants

A 
Ephedrine
Amphetamine
Methylphenidate
Methamphetamine
Cocaine
Cathinone
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3
Q

Ephedra can be split into two categories:

A

ephedrine and pseudoephedrine

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4
Q

Ephedra was first used as a

A 
Nasal Decongestant (Sudafed)
Also used for weight loss, increased energy, etc.
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5
Q

How strong are Ephedra effects?

A

Mild by comparison to other psychostimulants

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6
Q

Other names for Amphetamines

A

Benzedrine, Adderall (Racemic mixture), Vyvanse, “speed”, d-amphetamine (handedness).
Aside: optical isomers (D and L), aka enantiomers, racemic mixtures

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7
Q

Amphetamines history

A

Synthesized in 1887

Used extensively during WWII (with methamphetamine too)

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8
Q

Amphetamines can be used for:

A

congestion, narcolepsy, weight loss, ADHD, “performance enhancement”

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9
Q

Methamphetamine is also known as

A

Desoxyn, “Crystal Meth”

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10
Q

What is methamphetamine used for?

A

ADHD and nasal congestion

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11
Q

Methamphetamine and addiction

A

Very high addiction potential

Stimulant psychosis frequent with high doses - Hallucinations, similar to schizophrenia, mimics dopamine

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12
Q

Methylphenidate also known as:

A

Ritalin, Concerta, “kiddie coke’

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13
Q

Methylphenidate vs. amphetamine

A

Similar effects but methylphenidate’s are weaker and shorter-lasting

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14
Q

Methylphenidate is used as:

A

Often the preferred childhood ADHD prescription

Problem: short lasting

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15
Q

Cathinones also known as:

A

Khat (Catha edulis), bath salts (synthetic khat)

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16
Q

Laws on cathinones

A

Usually really hard to regulate and khat is seen as a danger to society

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17
Q

Cathinones addiction and harm

A

Khat is relatively benign but treated like a menace

Bath salts decidedly lass benign (bc synthetic)

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18
Q

Cocaine history

A

Derived from the coca plant

Coca used for ages, chewing

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19
Q

Cocaine instrumental use

A

Anesthetic, analgesic, and blood vessel constrictors

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20
Q

Cocaine preparation

what is synthetic?

A

Base paste -> convert it into salt (synthetic process) cocaine salt is which people snore -> base - other synthetic process which turns cocaine into crack cocaine

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21
Q

Method of Administration cocaine

A 
Salt: insufflated, injected
Free base (crack cocaine): inhaled
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22
Q

How did cocaine shape psychology’s history?

A

Uber Coca - book by Freud

Sigmund Freud - cocaine lover!

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23
Q

Synthetic danger

A

Ephedra, khat and coca
vs.
Methamphetamine, synthetic cathinones, cocaine
The synthetic drugs are more potent and dangerous

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24
Q

Route of administration matters?

A

It has profound effects: insufflation, inhalation and injection are more dangerous

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25
Q

Biotransformation

Two types

A

a. Active metabolites

b. Metabolites that result from polydrug use

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26
Q

Pharmacokinetics

A

How a substance moves through the body

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27
Q

What are metabolites that result from polydrug use?

A

Substances that form due to drug mixing. Unique from drug mixing. (ex.: cocaethylene)

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28
Q

Eliminates / Half-lives

what does it mean?

A

When Half of the molecules have been eliminated from the body

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29
Q

Half life Amphetamines

A

10-11 hours

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30
Q

Half life Methylphenidate

A

2 hours

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31
Q

Half life Cathinones

A

1.5 hours

32
Q

Half life Cocaine

A

1 hour

33
Q

What do psychostimulants do in synapse?

A

They increase dopamine function in synapse bind to transporters which are related to reuptake (are not dopamine agonists)

34
Q

amphetamine in synapse

A

amphetamines are reversers.
They bind to vesicle transporters and pushes the dopamine to terminal
They also binds to the membrane and reverse the flow of dopamine in the reuptake transporters. - it flows towards the site.

35
Q

Why is amphetamine so addictive?

A

It causes dopamine to be artificially released

Your body reacts

36
Q

Cocaine in synapse

A

Causes a larger than usual dopamine release
Makes the vesicular molecules work more efficiently (Pack up NTs - dopamine - more frequently)
Therefore more dopamine is released when an action potential is fired
Also binds to reuptake transporters and blocks its effects

37
Q

What are the effects of Psychostimulants on the levels of nucleus accumbens dopamine?

A

Psychostimulants increase by 100x times the baseline of natural dopamine release! Especially methamphetamine.

38
Q

Psychostimulants affect more than just dopamine. They also usually affect…

A

multiple other monoamine systems

39
Q

What transportations systems do psychostimulants affect?

A

DAT - Dopamine transporters
NET - Norepinephrine transporters
SERT - Serotonin transporters

40
Q

What do the monoamine transporters that psychostimulants affect have in common?

A

They are all very similar (similar structure) transporters of dopamine and norepinephrine
They mimic the sympathetic system

41
Q

Pharmacological effects of psychostimulants

A

On the Sympathetic system!
Increased heart rate, blood vessel constriction, airway relaxation, pupil dilation, inhibited digestion, increased body temp, tooth decay, psychosis, hallucination, increased motor activity, agitation euphoria, improved sense of wellbeing, alertness and energy.
Dangerous sodium channel blocking effects

42
Q

Behavioral effects of psychostimulants

Low doses

A

Low doses of psychostimulants increase purposeful behaviour (Effects for ADHD for example)

43
Q

Behavioral effects of psychostimulants

High doses

A

increase purposeless behaviour like stereotypy or Punding for humans

44
Q

Stereotypy/ Punding

A

Stereotypy - species specific behaviours (rat do things like grooming)
Punding - Stereotypy but in Humans (we usually pick our skin, sort things)

45
Q

Drug discrimination studies on rats

A

Training - A sober animal presses one lever = reward
Same animal but high if they press the same sober lever, they don’t get the reward. Other lever = reward
Experiment - A second drug. Which lever does the rat press? This is used to measure similar subjective effects. (Is the drug more similar to sobriety or drug 1?) If drug 1 is similar to the experimental drug, the rat will press the high lever

46
Q

Subjective effects of psychostimulants

Lower doses

A

Increased sense of alertness
Sense of energy
Sense of well-being (all self reported)

47
Q

Subjective effects of psychostimulants

High doses

A

Rush/euphoria

Dangerous sodium channel blocking effects

48
Q

Adverse effects of psychostimulant use

A 
Cardiovascular dysfunction
Pulmonary dysfunction
“Meth mouth”
Psychostimulant-induced psychosis 
Formication 
Some evidence for neuron damage
49
Q

Cardiovascular dysfunction due to psychostimulant use

A

High disease: cocaine is a Na+ channel blocker

Plus increased sympathetic NS output

50
Q

Pulmonary dysfunction in psychostimulant use is due to

A

due to prolonged stress of body to breathe more

51
Q

“Meth mouth” in psychostimulant use happens due to

A

poor dental hygiene, inhaling = damage to gums, dry mouth, more inclined to drinking sugary drinks.

52
Q

What is psychostimulant-induced psychosis :

A

Hallucinations, formication, delusions (info processing), thought and speech are disorganized - same as positive symptoms of schizophrenia

53
Q

Formication

A

somatosensory hallucinations of “bugs crawling your skin”

54
Q

Does a mother using psychostimulants make her babies addicted and prone to using? AKA developmental effects

A

not actually true. Prediction of drug use was due to socioeconomic status.

55
Q

Tolerance in psychostimulants is

A

Tolerance is stronger for the reinforcing effects of the drug (people become tolerant to the pleasure)
and Occurs more often with continuous drug use

56
Q

Sensitization in psychostimulants

A

Addicts become more sensitized to effects like stereotypy (which can be associated with intermittent drug use) and Cravings/ incentive sensitization (more motivated to seek the drug)

57
Q

Incentive sensitization

A

when a person becomes more sensitized to wanting the drug, craving

58
Q

Two big predictors of addiction in psychostimulants

A

Route of administration (more exposure to drugs) and polydrug use (prolongs and enhances the effects, more dangerous)

59
Q

Women are ____ likely to have a psychostimulant addiction

A

more

60
Q

Metabolism and addiction

A

High metabolism = predictor for addiction

The higher the drug metabolism, the more enzymes are effective at breaking down drugs, if it clears faster, the person uses more.

61
Q

Who experiences the negative effects of psychostimulants the most? What does that mean?

A

People with C1021T polymorphism - slower rate of dopamine into norepinephrine = effects of psychostimulants are more unpleasant = less inclined to addiction.

62
Q

Addiction directly related to ________________________.

A

dopamine release onto nucleus accumbens

63
Q

If NAcc is blocked…

A

many addiction processes are blocked.

64
Q

Two primary phases of recovery in psychostimulants

A

Detoxification

Relapse

65
Q

Pharmacological Treatments for psychostimulant addiction

A 
Disulfiram 
Modafinil 
Tricyclic antidepressants
Anticonvulsant drugs
Vaccine?
66
Q

ADHD Key symptoms

A

extreme inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity

67
Q

What psychostimulants are mostly used for ADHD?

A

amphetamine and methylphenidate

68
Q

Dopamine ADHD Hypothesis

A

ADHD is driven by low dopamine function

69
Q

The Yerkes-Dodson curve

A

at low levels of arousal = performance low, intermediate arousal = high performance and interest, high levels of arousal = performance drops again.

70
Q

The Yerkes-Dodson curve in ADHD people

A

People with ADHD sit extremely left of the curve, “always bored”, low level of arousal/ motivation.

71
Q

Why do psychostimulants work for people with ADHD?

A

ADHD people have low levels of arousal/ motivation. This is why psychostimulants work.

72
Q

Yerkes-dodson curve in PreFrontal Cortex catecholamines

A

Pre-frontal cortex has targets for norepinephrine and dopamine.
Catecholamine levels go up in PFC: we go from quiet (low firing rate in PFC) to alert (high firing) to stressed (PFC quiet). Curve.

73
Q

Long-term effects of psychostimulants use in ADHD

A

psychostimulants use may have a “normalizing effect” on brain development in ADHD
ADHD has developmental effects on the brain that medication attenuates with no effects to weight/heart.

74
Q

Drug diversion

A

Unfortunate pressure onto people with a condition to sell needed meds - pressure person with ADHD to sell their prescriptions

75
Q

Instrumental use of ADHD medication

A

Low doses.
Cognitive: improvements with attention, working memory, consolidation, long-term memory, inhibitory control, “goals-directed behaviour”
Physical performance: benefits to endurance, alertness
Weight loss initially
But High dose leads to performance impairments (person becomes too stressed)

76
Q

Nootropics

A

Smart drugs, cognitive enhancers

Only exist modestly: amphetamine, methylphenidate, modafinil, caffeine, nicotine

Psych 207 (9 decks)

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