Drugs and Behavior (Non-Psychomotor stimulants)

Caffeine (methylaxanthine) effects on the body?

-Broncho dilation effects (asthma)

-Shared mild stimulation

-limits blood flow to the brain, close down blood vessels (migraines)

Caffeine (ROA and ½ life)

ROA

• oral and rectal

½ life

• 3/5 hrs

• depends on the person

which receptor does caffeine block?

adenosine receptors

• causing wakefulness

what neurotransmitter does caffeine release?

dopamine, norepinephrine, glutamate

How is caffeine working/ what does it release

epinephrine

• increasing heart rate

Effects Caffeine has on the body (physically)

-increase heart rate

-increase respiration

-increased urine output (slows down production of antidiuretic)

-involuntary muscles relax -Voluntary muscles strengthen

Caffeine effect on blood flow

vasoconstrictor in the brain

• bazo constrictor (restricts blood vessels)

Vasodilator

• everywhere else in the body promotes blood flow

Effects of caffeine (psychologically)

• increased alertness/ wakefulness

• increase mental efficiency

• improved physical ability

• improved mood

Caffeine Effect on Sleep

-lowers acoustic arousal threshold (easier to wake up to noises around you)

Caffeine (mentally)

• improved attention

• speed reaction time

Caffeine (mood)

increased well being, energy, motivation, self-confidence

Caffeine Effects at High Doses

-hypertension

-increased risk of convulsion

-anxiety/ panic attacks

-Heart

• tachycardia

• risk for heart attacks in those prone

Caffeine (physically)

Reproduction

• increased risk of stillbirth, miscarriage, restricted fetal growth

Lower bone density in post menopausal females

Caffeine (tolerance)

-Sleep disruption (acoustic arousal)

-subjective effects (does not feel the effects)

-cardiovascular effects (increased heart rate and respiration

Caffeine (withdrawal)

-headache

-drowsiness

-decreased in energy

-Negative mood

-difficulty concentrating

Happens 12-24 hrs post caffeine

Nic (4 ROA)

1. inhalation

2. mucous membranes

3. transdermal

4. snorting

Do we get all of the nic when inhaling (True or False)

False

The rest is exhaled

Nic (1/2 life)

90-150 min

• depends on sex, type, age, food, and genetics

Nic activates WHAT receptors and RELEASES what transmitters?

Receptor:

• acetylcholine (memory)

Transmitters

• dopamine in the mesolimbic system (reward)

• glutamate

• epinephrine (adrenaline)

Caffeine Effects (physically)

-increased heart rate, blood pressure, respiration

-Bazo restrictor in skin (hands/feet get cold + aging skin)

-Calm due to lower voluntary msucle tone

-Quick tolerance

Caffeine Effects (psychologically)

-rush/high/pleasure

• nic sticks together —> all goes to brain —> then distributed in body

-calm/ anxiety reduction

-improved performance

• working memory

• attention

• reaction time

Nic Effects (mentally)

Mood:

• do not feel good (allostasis)

• long transition to get back to normal after quitting

• lower base lien if addicted

Nic (tolerance)

• get used to unwanted effects

• get used to the good effects when smoking

Nic (withdrawal)

develop within 3 days post cig (get worst over time)

Classical Conditioning

-decreased heart rate

-increase appetite and weight gain

-difficulty concentrating

-disrupted sleep

-craving

-mood change

Risk on Consistent Nic Use

• heart disease

• stroke

• COPD

• cancer; anywhere exposed to nic

• death

  Hemoglobin’s have to work har, leading to blood having a difficult time reaching the heart

Nic (reproduction)

-decrease infertility (both sexes)

-miscarriage

-increase risk of brith defect

-low birth weight

-premature birth

-risk of childhood cancer (sperm)

-verbal + math difficulties, hyperactivity

second hand

inhaling the smoke that has been exhaled from the smoker (fewest pollutants)

Side stream

smoke that is lit off the cig not inhaled yet (the worst)

Thirdhand smoke

smoke on surfaces (children are exposed to the most harm)

Who(s) is mostly to be exposed to nic? Why?

People who are depressed

• related to the brain (rewarding)

People who have schizophrenia

• related to the brain (rewarding)

Adolescent

• new adult users are more sensitive to the negative side effects

Blood Theory Level Theory

For:

• not like other drug due to use multiple times a day

• people keep smoking leading to keep a constant level of nic in the blood to reduce withdrawal

• smokers change styles to compensate for nic levels

• changes in smoking style across duration of cig

Against:

• Therapies would be more effective for people who want to quite

Nicotine Bolus Theory

For:

• bolus is a clump of nic when inhaled into the body (head rush)

• Explains why smoking is more addicting than other methods of nic addition

• smoking is the only method for bolus

Against:

• cant account for popularity of other ROA

Dual Reinforcement Model (2 processes)

1. Combine process that is relevant to most substance

   -reinforcing (mesobolic pathway activation) dopamine

   -drug related stimuli as condition reinforcers (CS) craving

   -rat in chamber —> two levers —> one with light no nic , other with no light but has nic —> when one lever is activated low levels of responding —> when both are active the light lever is increased

2. Nic specific

   -nic has reinforcement enhancing properties

   -weaker reinforcers to use more —> encourage others