Psychoactive Drugs

Alcohol

Depressant with a high chance of abuse/addiction, impairing reasoning, coordination, balance, reaction time, and judgement.

Cocaine

Stimulant that is highly addictive, increasing energy, alertness, and confidence while decreasing appetite.

Hallucinogen

Substance that intensifies sensations/emotions and can cause hallucinations.

Opioids (Heroin)

High chance of addiction, used to treat pain, causing pinpoint pupils, itching, nausea, and a rush of pleasure followed by drowsiness.

Marijuana

Depressant that can become addictive, affecting coordination, balance, and reaction time, causing a relaxed feeling and impairing memory.

MDMA (Ecstasy)

Chemically similar to hallucinogens and stimulants, causing involuntary jaw clenching, chills, and emotional connection.

Meth

Artificial stimulant that is highly addictive, causing heart damage, overheating, and violent tendencies.

Withdrawal Symptoms

Physical and mental symptoms experienced when reducing or stopping drug use.

Fastest drug delivery method

Smoking, as it allows drugs to reach the brain via blood vessels in the lungs.

Second fastest drug delivery method

Injection into blood vessels, followed by snorting/sniffing through the nose.

Rapid delivery effects on the brain

Alters the expression of genes and neural pathways, potentially leading to faster addiction.

Addictive drugs and brain pathways

They affect brain pathways involving reward.

Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome

Condition resulting from thiamine deficiency, often associated with alcohol use.

Pellagra

Condition caused by nicotinic acid deficiency, leading to diminished nutrient absorption.

Effects of cocaine on the body

Includes irritability, paranoia, stroke, seizure, and death.

Effects of cocaine on the brain

Includes acute/chronic paranoia, shorter attention span, diminished memory, and decreased cognitive function.

Effects of opioids on the body

Includes body aches, chills, headaches, and vomiting.

Effects of marijuana on the brain

Includes depression, uneasiness, delusions, and attention/memory deficits.

Effects of MDMA on the body

Includes confusion, distorted perception, hyperactivity, and long/short memory deficits.

Effects of meth on the brain

Includes malnutrition, insomnia, paranoia, anxiety, memory loss, and delusions.

Tolerance

Needing more of the substance to achieve the same effect.

Brain pathways

Neuronal pathways that connect two brain regions, made up of connected neurons.

Mesolimbic pathway

A pathway that focuses on memory, motivation, emotion, rewards, desires, and addiction.

Mesocortical pathway

Involved in executive function, attention, motivation, emotional regulation, motor control

Nigrostriatal pathway

A pathway that focuses on motor control, where neuron death can lead to Parkinson's Disease.

Anxiety

A problem linked with the serotonin pathway.

Depression

A problem linked with the serotonin pathway. (Depression)

Drugs that increase GABA

Alcohol and tranquilizers.

Drugs that increase glutamate

PCP and caffeine.

Overdose

Occurs when certain drugs reach high enough concentrations in the body, disrupting essential body functions.

Opioids

Particularly dangerous drugs that can cause breathing to slow or stop when they bind to receptors.

Multi-drugs + alcohol

A dangerous combination that can lead to lethal doses quicker due to both slowing breathing.

Cocaine effects

Can cause increased heart rate, leading to heart/brain damage, narrow blood vessels, and hyperthermia.

Serotonin affects many body processes:

Body temp regulation

Sleep

Mood

Appetite

Pain

Problems stemming from Serotonin pathway malfunction

OCD, Anxiety, Depression