psy 212 e1 revised

What fields does psychopharmacology combine?

Psychology, pharmacy, biology, chemistry, and medicine.

What are the primary stages of drugs in the body?

The stages include administration, absorption, diffusion, biotransformation, and elimination.

What is the significance of understanding addiction in psychopharmacology?

It helps address issues that devastate families and communities, and aids in developing medications for mental illness and neurological disorders.

What two components combine to form pharmacogenetics?

Pharmacodynamics (biochemical actions) and pharmacokinetics (administration, length, effectiveness, and depletion of drugs).

What are the manners of drug use?

Instrumental (purpose), recreational (fun), and misuse (use for different purpose than intended)

How do public perceptions of drugs and drug abuse vary?

They are complex and influenced by generational differences.

What is the effective dose at 50% (ED50)?

It is the dose at which 50% of the population experiences the desired effect.

What are the factors that can influence the effectiveness of a drug?

Factors include dose, body weight, potency, metabolism, sex, age, genetics, disease condition, drug interactions, culture, behaviour, and pregnancy.

What is the dose-effect curve?

It represents the relationship between the dose of a drug and the magnitude of its effect (potency/time)

What are the two types of effects measured in psychopharmacology research?

Objective effects (measurable responses) and subjective effects (personal feelings and experiences).

What ethical concerns arise from conservative therapeutic indexes in drug testing?

They may limit possibilities for drug testing and raise ethical issues regarding safety and efficacy.

What is the role of big pharma in the context of psychopharmacology?

Big pharma emerged around the same time as the split between clinical psychology and psychiatry, influencing drug development and marketing.

What is the impact of culture and behavior on drug effectiveness?

Cultural and behavioral factors can significantly influence how drugs are perceived and their effectiveness.

What is the importance of understanding the human dimension in psychopharmacology?

It acknowledges that human behavior is complex and outcomes may not always align with expectations.

What is the significance of studying the effects of drugs on memory and decision-making?

Understanding these effects is crucial for developing effective treatments for mental health issues.

What are the four names associated with drugs?

Brand name, generic name, street name, and chemical name.

How does individual homeostasis affect drug response?

Individual metabolic rates and homeostasis can lead to varied responses to identical drug doses.

What factors should be considered when prescribing psychotropic drugs?

Individual dosing, monitoring patient responses, and alternatives.

What is an example of different treatment needs for ADHD?

Some individuals with ADHD require stimulants while others need non-stimulants.

What significant drug was developed in the 1950s that shaped modern psychiatry?

Chlorpromazine, later approved as Thorazine by the FDA in May 1954.

What is the role of the FDA in drug approval?

The FDA regulates drugs, ensures long-term efficacy, and approves drugs after reviewing new drug submissions. Usually only come into play when something bad happens.

What is the primary focus of drug development today?

Taking existing drugs and making them new, often through fast-track approval.

What is the purpose of Phase 1 in the FDA drug approval process?

To study pharmacokinetics in 20-80 healthy subjects (create a baseline)

What is the focus of Phase 2 in clinical trials?

To assess effectiveness in 40-300 sick subjects, including pharmacokinetics and some pharmacodynamics

What is the purpose of Phase 3 in clinical trials?

To document side effects in 100-3000 subjects and study pharmacodynamics.

What is Phase 4 in the drug approval process?

It involves pharmacogenetics and post-NDA approval studies, though not required.

What are Schedule I drugs?

Highly addictive substances with no approved medical use, such as marijuana, LSD, and heroin.

What defines Schedule II drugs?

Drugs with high abuse potential or dependence that have medical uses, like opioids and amphetamines.

What are the characteristics of Schedule III drugs?

Drugs with low to moderate abuse potential or dependence that have medical uses, such as steroids and ketamine.

What's the difference between Schedule IV and V drugs?

Both have low abuse potential/dependence; schedule IV need a prescription and schedule v are OTC.

What is the significance of oxytocin in the context of psychopharmacology?

Oxytocin has shaped psychopharmacology for 40 years, particularly in studies of social bonding.

What is the difference between chemical and electrical communication in the brain?

Chemical communication occurs between neurons in the synapse, while electrical communication occurs within a neuron.

What happens at the axon terminal during neurotransmission?

The signal changes from electrical to chemical as neurotransmitters are released.

What is the function of presynaptic and postsynaptic neurons?

Presynaptic neurons release neurotransmitters, while postsynaptic neurons receive them.

What is the role of synaptic vesicles?

Synaptic vesicles store neurotransmitters and release them into the synapse during neurotransmission.

What is the significance of the 'gap junction' in neuronal communication?

Gap junctions allow direct electrical communication between neurons, facilitating rapid signaling.

What is the impact of political and economic factors on drug development?

Political, economic, and pharmaceutical corporate marketing schemes influence drug development, with 80% of funding being privately sourced.

What are the potential risks associated with pediatric use of psychotropic drugs?

Pediatric use, such as with suppositories (Thorazine), can lead to serious side effects including rectal cancer.

What is the role of the DEA in drug regulation?

The DEA regulates controlled substances and their scheduling based on potential for abuse/country expectations

What are the two main divisions of the nervous system?

Central Nervous System (CNS) and Peripheral Nervous System (PNS).

What is the role of the sympathetic nervous system?

Prepares the body for action and stress, often referred to as 'fight or flight'. (S-tress = S-ympathetic)

What does the parasympathetic nervous system do?

Calms the body and helps conserve energy. (P-eace = P-arasympathetic)

What is the function of the somatic nervous system?

Carries sensory information from sensory organs to the CNS and relays motor commands.

What are the directional terms used in brain anatomy?

Superior (top), inferior (bottom), anterior (front), posterior (back), lateral (outwards), medial (inwards).

What are the three main parts of the brain?

Forebrain, midbrain, and hindbrain.

What are the main components of the forebrain?

cerebral cortex, thalamus, hypothalamus, basal ganglia

Main components of the hindbrain?

Cerebellum, pons, medulla

What structures are included in the limbic system?

Olfactory bulb (smell), septum (gray matter, secondary hemisphere communication), amygdala, hippocampus, mammillary body, fornix, hypothalamus, cingulate gyrus.

What is the primary role of the basal ganglia?

Involved in movement control and working memory. Ganglions receive information from extremities

What neurotransmitter is primarily associated with learning?

Acetylcholine.

How does serotonin affect the body?

It is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that affects mood and feelings.

What is the role of dopamine in the brain?

Involved in reward and pleasure.

What is GABA and its function?

Gamma-aminobutyric acid; it is an inhibitor that reduces neural activity and has a calming effect.

What is the function of glutamate?

An excitatory neurotransmitter that enhances neural communication and is involved in memory.

What is the role of adrenaline and epinephrine?

They are involved in the 'fight or flight' response and survival (adrenaline = hormone, epinephrine = transmitter)

What does norepinephrine affect?

Attention and alertness.

What are endorphins known for?

Inducing feelings of euphoria.

What is noraderenaline useful for?

Concentration

What is the purpose of animal models in drug research?

To determine if a drug is safe.

What is CRISPR used for in genetic editing?

To knock out or silence genes and modify gene expression.

What are designer babies?

Genetic interventions into pre-implantation embryos to influence traits.

What is a chimera in genetics?

An individual whose body is composed of genetically distinct cells.

What is allostasis?

The process of adapting and changing to maintain homeostasis.

What are the two types of neurotransmitter release processes?

Rapid release from small core vesicles and slow release from large dense-core vesicles.

How do GABA and glutamate impact neural transmission?

GABA (synthesis makes glutamate) -> reduces action potential; Glutamate -> increases depolarisation

What are the two types of receptors in neural transmission?

Metabotropic (initiates metabolic steps; GPCRs) and ionotropic (transmembrane ion channels; passive transport) receptors.

What is the function of neurotrophins?

They regulate the development, survival, and function of neurons.

What are hormones?

Signalling molecules that regulate physiology and behaviour

What is the significance of probiotics in relation to gut health?

Probiotics can cause downstream effects linked to microbiomes and regulate hormones (related to relationships b/w pituitary and thyroid)

What are the routes of drug administration mentioned?

Intravenous, intramuscular, subcutaneous, topical, inhalation, spinal tap, oral, rectal, sublingual, intrathecal, transdermal

How does the type of drug administration affect dosage?

The type of administration impacts how quickly and effectively the drug is absorbed.

What is first-pass metabolism?

It refers to the metabolism of a drug before it reaches systemic circulation, reducing its bioavailability.

What is the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation used for?

It depicts the ionized vs non-ionized state of drugs based on pH and pKa.

What is bioavailability?

Bioavailability is the proportion of a drug that enters circulation when introduced into the body and is available for action (how much left after degradation from absorption)

What is the blood-brain barrier?

A semipermeable membrane that protects the brain from pathogens and regulates the passage of substances.

What is the role of astrocytes in the brain?

Astrocytes maintain the brain's vascular system.

What are the phases of drug biotransformation?

Phase I involves enzymatic oxidation, while Phase II involves detoxification and elimination.

What happens during drug elimination?

Drugs, toxins, and by-products of disease exit the body through various routes (urine, bile, sweat, lungs)

What is the impact of exercise on drug elimination?

More exercise enhances the body's ability to eliminate drugs.

What is the difference between a parent drug and a metabolite?

The parent drug is the original compound, while a metabolite is the transformed product after metabolism.

What is tolerance in the context of drug use?

Tolerance is the body's reduced response to a drug after repeated use.

What is the significance of capillary permeability in drug distribution?

It determines a drug's ability to pass out of blood vessels and into tissues.

What is the process of signal termination in neural transmission?

It involves the breakdown of neurotransmitters and reuptake or recycling.

What is the liberation of a drug in the body?

Outer barrier must be dissolved for body to absorb drug.

What are the seven chemical processes drugs can alter?

Synthesis, storage, release, receptor interactions, inactivation, reuptake, and degradation

What are the characteristics of small and large neuropeptides?

Small neuropeptides are synthesized in axon terminals, while large neuropeptides are synthesized in the soma.

What is the role of gap junctions in neural communication?

Gap junctions facilitate electrical synapses by connecting ion channels between pre and post-synaptic neurons.

What is steady state?

Drug is metabolised/eliminated at same rate; continuously absorbed

What is dose dumping?

Unintended, rapid release of drug due to polymer break down (liquifying) when mixed with alcohol/acid.

What is binding affinity and what is the difference between high/low affinity?

-binding affinity = how strongly a drug binds to a receptor

-high affinity = binds tightly, even at low concentrations

-low affinity = weak bind, higher concentrations of drug needed

What is receptor efficacy and what is the difference between high/low efficacy?

-receptor efficacy = ability of a drug (once bound) to activate receptor and produce biological response(s)

-high efficacy = strong activation (agonists like morphine)

-low efficacy = weak/no activation (partial agonists like buprenorphine = moderate; antagonists block receptors)

What is the difference between and agonists and antagonists?

-agonists bind to receptors and mimic the actions of hormones or neurotransmitters (activate)

-antagonists bind to receptors but do not activate them (block receptor from producing a response)