psychopharmacology

How drugs are absorbed, distributed within the body, metabolized and executed

pharmacokinetics

Most effective method for getting the body to absorb medicine

Itravenous (IV) injection

injected into vein

Most common method for animals absorbing medicine

Intraperitoneal (IP) injection

injection around abdominal area drawbacks- takes about 30mins for drug to take effect

Method for larger animals (takes 45mins to absorb)

Intramuscular (IM) injection

This injection has evolved into a capsule form. Typically injected into space beneath the skin.

Subcutaneous (SC) injection

drawbacks- some drugs require higher volume, not enough space under the skin for full volume

Oral vs. Sublingual administration

oral- on tongue

sublingual- under tongue

Example of sublingual administration:

zofran

Administration of a substance into the rectum

intrarectal administration

Snorting a substance is an example of _________ administration.

topical

Site-specific administration only goes to brain site and identifies ________ thing responsible for behavior

specific

intracerebroventricular (brain ventricle) administration effect the _____ body system, and keeps drugs in the CNS only.

whole

Main thing that effects the rate that a drug in the bloodstream reaches site of action in the brain.

Remember: the blood-brain barrier is only for water-soluble molecules

lipid solubility

The higher the dose of the drug the ____ side effects. So, a doctor would want an effective drug so they can use a _____ dose.

more

smaller

Way to measure the effectiveness of a drug

dose-response curve

If a dose-response curve is shifted left, it would be ___ _______.

more effective

The ratio between dose that produces desired effect and dose that produces toxic effect

therapeutic index

A large therapeutic index means ____ drug

safer

A smaller therapeutic index increases the chance of ________

overdose

Intracerebral and intracerebroventricular administration are used to bypass the ___

BBB Blood Brain Barrier

Morphine and aspirin have similar behavioral effects but have different sites of action. What are these medicine sites?

morphine- works in CNS

aspirin- works in PNS

High affinity = low concentration to get outcome

Low affinity= high concentration to get outcome

________ refers to the capacity of a drug molecule to bind to a receptor.

affinity

Drugs can bind to presynaptic or postsynaptic receptors, transporter molecules or enzymes. T or F

True

Decrease in effectiveness of a drug given repeatedly

tolerance

Increase in effectiveness that is administered repeatedly

sensitization

Symptoms that occur after drug is suddenly no longer taken

withdrawal

placebo v. nocebo effect

placebo effect - harmless substance that has no physiological effect but triggers false behavior

nocebo- harm resulting from mere expectation of harm

A drug called Keyphetamine is an antagonist drug. What does this mean?

The drug inhibits the effects of a NT on the postsynaptic cell

Most drugs that affect behavior must do so by affecting ______ transmission

synaptic

An agonist drug ______ the effects of a NT on the postsynaptic cell.

facilitates

What is the first step in the production of neurotransmitters?

the synthesis from its precursors

L-Dopa (precursor to NT Dopamine) activates the release of dopamine, so it would be an _____

agonist

Tryptophan hydroxylase is the enzyme that inhibits __________. So, it is an _______

serotonin

antagonist

Fill in the blanks for drug effects:

A drug stimulates the postsynaptic receptor, so it is an ______. If this receptor is blocked, the drug is an _____.

A drug stimulates the presynaptic receptor, so it is an _____. If this receptor is blocked, the drug is an _________.

agonist; antagonist

antagonist;agonist

Direct v. Indirect binding

Drug binds to same receptor location as NT

Indirect- drug binds to same receptor as NT but different location

Describe drug effects on reuptake and deactivation enzymes.

Agonists block reuptake and deactivation of extra neurotransmitters. Antagonists increase reuptake and destroying extra NTs.

Drug effects on NT release allow ______ to enter, then fusion takes place and more channels open. So this an ____ effect. An _______ does the opposite of this process.

calcium

agonist

antagonist

Morphine is a direct _____, binding to opioid receptors to produce euphoric effects.

agonist

Glutamate (excitatory) and ____ (inhibitory) are the two most important neurotransmitters.

GABA

Dopamine, serotonin, and neroepinephrine are called ___________ and prime circuits to receive glutamate and GABA in the future.

neuromodulators

Primary NT released from neuron to muscle, also involved in regulating paralysis during REM sleep

acetylcholine

Acetate and Choline need this cofactor to bond with each other.

Acetyl-CoA

2 types of ACh receptors

iontropic (fast-acting)
and metabotropic (long lasting channels)

Iontropic ACh receptor stimulated by nicotine and blocked by curare

Nicotine/Nicotinic

Metabotropic ACh receptor that is stimulated by muscarine and blocked by atropine

muscarinic

The monoamines are classified as a group because of their ______ process, not their functions.

production

List the monoamines (DNES)

dopamine

norepinephrine

epinephrine

serotonin

(DNE) Dopamine, Norepinephrine, and Epinephrine belong to a subclass called _________ because they have the same precursor, ______.

catecholamines

tyrosine

Acetylcholine initiates movement and dopamine ________ movement

smooths

The precursor for dopamine is ________

tyrosine

List how dopamine is turned into dopamine:

tyrosine→L-Dopa(tyrosine hydroxylase)—>Dopamine

L-Dopa is used to treat Parkison’s disease because it is a dopamine _______.

agonist

3 systems of dopaminergic neurons

neurostriatal (neuron origin: subtantia nigra)

mesolimbic

mesocortical

Dopamine is released between the substantia nigra and ______

striata

The caudate nucleus and putamen make up the striatum. Huntington’s and Parkinson’s attack the striatum in different sequences:

H- damage starts in striatum

P- damage starts in substantia nigra (makes movement rigid)

System that plays a role in reinforcing effects of drugs

mesolimbic system

The mesolimbic system consists of neurons that terminate in the nucleus accumbens, amygdala, and hippocampus. What factors are associated with these parts?”

nucleus accumbens- pleasure

amyg- emotion

hippocampus- memory/emotion

How is the amygdala invloved with drugs of abuse?

heavily; involved with withdrawal symptoms

System that sends dopamine neurons to pre-frontal cortex and communicates back and forth therefore increasing pleasure in the nucleus accumbens

mesocortical system

Antagonist for catacholamines

AMPT

Monoamine antagonist

reserpine at synaptic vesicles; interferes with storage of monoamines

Drug that activates D1 receptors because it inhibits reuptake of dopamine

cocaine and methylphenidate/Ritalin (Adhd med)

Enzyme that activates D2 receptors because it breaks down dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin

monoamine oxidase MAO

Serotonin precursor:

tryptophan

process of Serotonin:

tryptophan→5HTP→5-HT

Drug that damages the most neurons:

MDMA (ecstasy)

Glutamate is excitatory because it opens what receptors?

sodium and calcium

A specialized iontropic glutamate receptor that controls a calcium channel, requires ligend and -50 voltage to open.

NDMA

PCP blocks NDMA without directly competing with glutamate. It is an indirect _______

antagonist

The ___ receptor controls the sodium channel, most common glutamate receptor

AMPA

Which receptor is needed for classical conditioning?

NDMA

Drug that blocks glutamate binding site on NDMA receptors

AP5

2 GABA receptors

GABAA and GABAB

GABA(A) (iontropic, channel open and close quickly) drugs:

Benzodiazepine

Barbituates

Benzos are used to treat ______ and have short effects

anxiety

Barbituates have long-lasting effects and can be deadly. T or F

true

Sound creates ______(at bottom of sound wave) and _________(at peak of wave)

compression and rareification

Pitch is determined by the ______ of vibration

frequency

(ex: high pitch, more waves)

A sound waves goes through the tympanic membrane, then what?

malleus (outermost ossicle), incus, then stapes

The tympanic membrane is the first element that _______ at the same pattern as the sound wave

vibrate

After the ____ window is pushed, what flows through the cochlea?

oval; fluid

Fluid flows through which sections of cochlea?

scala tympani and vestubli

______ _______ contains the organ of corti.

scala media

Describe the structure of organ of corti

tectorial membrane on top

basilar at the bottom

hair cells and cilia

dieter cells (structure for hair cells)

Hair cell activation depends on bending direction of ____

cilia

If a hair cell is activated, ___ ____ bend cilia toward the tallest cilium. Then pulls on _______ ______ to open ion channel

tip links

insertional plaque

What kind of channels are insertional plaques?

mechanically gated because its based on vibration

Tightening cilium = AP

loosing cilium = inhibition

true

Signal is sent to auditory nerve, then the inferior colliculus which is responsible for ________ _____

auditory reflexes

After the inferior colliculus, the signal is sent to the _____ _____ in the thalamus, then to the primary auditory cortex

medial geniculate

---

is needed to create an action potential in a hair cell

Potassium

What do the 2 streams in the auditory cortex do?

dorsal- tells you where sound is located

ventral- tells you what object is making sound

Place v. Rate coding

place- determines what part of cochlea vibrates

rate - how often hair cells fire

Different phases of sound wave that hit both ears at the same time

phase differences

ear closest to source of noise receives most intense stimulation

intensity differences

Functions of vestibular system

1) balance

2) ability to recognize vertical and horizontal acceleration

3) maintain head in upright position

4) adjustment of eye movement to compensate for head movement

5) vestibular stimulation does not produce any readily definable sensation

Vestibular sac (2 each side of brain) handles head tilt and semicircular canal (3 on each side of brain) handles head ____

rotation

If Kay turns her head to the right, the fluid in her head will move to the ___

left

The Utricle handles ____ acceleration and the Saccule handles _____ acceleration

horizontal

vertical

Which of the following is a compensatory mechanism that would result in drug tolerance?

a reduced number of drug receptors