Psych 101 - Quiz 2: 11 Psychoactive Drugs

Two types of Psychoactive drugs

Psychotherapeutic drugs and Recreational Drugs

Compulsive use of drugs

excessive and unregulated despite negative consequences or innapropriate timing

Craving Drugs

A strong desire to use a drug accompanied by a strong preoccupation with the drug

Drug Seeking Behavior

goal directed behavior characterized by efforts to obtain the drugs

Tolerance

A decreased sensitivity to a drug from repeated administration of the drug

• specific from drug to drug, does not develop at same rate or dosage

• Cross tolerance may also occur in drugs of a similar nature

Physical Dependence

physiological dependence to a drug caused by exposure → adaptation resulting in need for drug to maintain homeostasis

Withdrawal

Result from cessation of a drug, severity of symptoms depend on several factors

Symptoms of withdrawal vary based on type of drug, dosage, and duration of use

Drug relationship

withdrawal symptoms usually opposite to drug’s initial effect

• compensatory reaction to absence of drug

Life history of a neurotransmitter

• synthesis

• storage- in synaptic vesicles

• release - into synaptic gap

• binding- post synaptic receptors

• deactivation- reuptake or enzymatic degradation

Agonist

any drug that mimics or increases the effect of neurotransmitters

direct: mimics NT at synaptic cleft, binding to receptor to stimulate

indirect: mimics NT in some other way

Antagonist

any drug that blocks or decreases neurotransmitters

direct: binds to receptors to block NT

indirect: decreases effect of NT

Opioids

direct agonist at mu opioid receptors

mimics endogenous neurotransmitter beta-endorphin

Effects: analgesia, constipation, respiratory suppression, euphoria

Stimulants

reuptake inhibitors (cocaine), releasers (meth), monoamines

Effects: sympathetic arousal (BP and HR), cognitive arousal, anxiety, paranoia

Hallucinogens

direct agonists of 5T-HT 2A receptors

mimics endogenous neurotransmitter serotonin

Effects: sensory/cognitive disturbance, anxiety, panic

Nicotene

direct agonist at nicotine receptors

mimics endogenous neurotransmitter acetylcholine

Effects: mild stimulation, cognitive enhancement, well being feeling

Cannabis

direct agonist at cannabinoids receptors

mimics endogenous NT anandamide and 2- AG

Effects: relax, drowsiness, anxiolysis or anxiogenic effect at high dosage, analgesia, intoxication

Ethanol

multiple non-specific actions (cell permeability)

agonist at GABA receptors

antagonist at NMDA glutamate receptors

Effects: euphoria, anxiolysis, intoxication, cognitive impairment