Drugs, Consciousness, and Biological Rhythms

Vocabulary flashcards covering pharmacology, drug classifications, levels of consciousness, and biological rhythms based on the lecture transcript.

Agonist

Drugs that mimic or increase neurotransmitter function by activating neurotransmission at receptor sites.

Reuptake inhibitor agonist

Drugs that block the absorption of neurotransmitters released by the presynaptic neuron, raising the quantity accessible to bind to postsynaptic receptors.

SSRIs

Antidepressant drugs that work by blocking the reuptake of serotonin, thereby increasing neurotransmission.

Antipsychotic meds

Medications that block receptor sites for dopamine and decrease neuron transmission.

Narcan

A medication that blocks opioid receptors and decreases neuron transmission.

Psychoactive drug

Chemicals that alter the brain, causing changes in perception and mood.

Addiction

A condition in which an individual is in a state of psychological and/or physical dependence on psychotropic drugs, equivalent to substance use disorder or substance dependence.

Tolerance

The requirement for greater amounts or stronger versions of a drug to achieve the same psychotropic effects.

Depressants

Drugs that decrease nervous system activity and cause muscle relaxation, sleep, and inhibition of cognitive centers in the brain, associated with the neurotransmitter GABA.

Opioids

Drugs that produce pain reduction, exemplified by heroin and linked to the neurotransmitter endorphins.

Stimulants

Substances that increase nervous system activity, mood, and alertness, involving dopamine, norepinephrine, and acetylcholine.

Monism

The philosophical methodology addressing whether the brain creates the mind.

Dualism

The philosophical inquiry asking whether the mind exists beyond death.

Interactionism

The study of whether the mind influences the body, or the body influences the mind.

Consciousness

An individual's awareness of themselves and their environment.

Two-track mind

The human framework of processing information across two levels: conscious awareness and the unconscious mind.

Conscious awareness

A state of internal and exterior awareness that is under voluntary control, processes information relatively slowly, and is used for new or practiced tasks.

Unconscious mind

Mental activity outside of awareness with no voluntary control, which processes information automatically in parallel and handles bodily regulations and autonomic responses.

Sleep

A periodic natural loss of consciousness that is distinct from unconsciousness resulting from a coma, anesthesia, or hibernation.

Biological rhythms

Internal biological clocks that regulate what humans and animals do, how they feel, and what occurs inside their bodies across cycles of various lengths.

SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder)

A disorder affecting people living far from the Equator, in which they suffer from depression in the winter and recover each spring.