Drugs and Behavior L678

Vocabulary flashcards reviewing core definitions in psychopharmacology, drug misuse and addiction, pharmacokinetic principles, and neurotransmitter system function based on the lecture material.

Drug

A chemical substance that changes biological function.

Psychoactive Drug

A drug or chemical substance that changes brain function and alters mood, cognition, perception, or behavior.

Drug Misuse

The use of a substance outside medical directions or in a manner that increases harm.

Substance Use Disorder (SUD)

problematic substance use that causes significant problems and distress within 12 months

Drug Tolerance

repeated use of drug makes you need more to get the same affect

Cross Tolerance

tolerance to one drugs makes your tolerance to other drugs higher as well

Metabolic Tolerance

your body makes more enzymes to break down the drug, so less of the drug is in your body to give you a feeling/ effect

Pharmacodynamic Tolerance

Brain cells adjust to the continued presence of a drug by changing their receptors. They may decrease or increase receptors to balance the drug’s effects, which can make the same dose have less effect over time.

Receptor Down Regulation

the cell reduces the number/ sensitivity of receptors because its getting too much stimulation —> weaker response

Receptor Up Regulation

the cell increases the number/ sensitivity of receptors when activity is blocked or too low —> more sensitive response

Behavioral Tolerance

a person is able to function properly behaviorally even while using, the person seems fine even while theyre actively using.

Sensitization

same does causes a stronger effect after repeated use

Withdrawal

symptoms that a person can experiance when they stop using or use less. response to not having drug in system.

Physical Dependence

the body gets used to having drugs in its system, so removing it causes withdrawal-

Craving

intense urge/ yearning for a drug that can be triggered by drug cues, stress, surroundings or internal states

Reward

a positive outcome the brain values and learns about

Reinforcer

Any stimulus or event that increases the probability of the behavior that produced it.

Liking vs. Wanting

pleasure vs motivation to get something. dopamine is important here

Medial Forebrain Bundle (MFB)

a major brain pahway containing fibers involved in reward and reinforcement

Mesolimbic Dopamine System

dopamine pathway from the VTA —> nucleus accumbens involved in reward, motivation and reinforcement

Incubation of Craving

drug- cue triggered craving/ seeking can become stronger during abstinence.

Bioavailability

The amount of drug in the blood plasma that is unbound and free to interact with target sites.

Pharmacokinetics

processes that determine how much drug is available in the body —> absorbtion, distribution, binding, metabolism and excretion

Drug Action

The specific molecular changes produced when a drug binds to a target site or receptor.

Drug Effects

physiological or behavioral reactions caused by a drug

First-Pass Metabolism

The breakdown of orally ingested drugs occurring in the gastrointestinal tract and liver before reaching systemic circulation.

Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB)

protective barrier that limits which substances in the blood can enter the brain

Drug Depots

inactive storage/ binding sites such as blood proteins, muscle and fat where drugs can temporarily bind

Half-Life ($t_{1/2}$)

time required for 50% of drugs to leave your system

Pharmacodynamics

how drugs interact with receptors/ target sites to produce effects

Agonist

a substance that increases the effectiveness of a neurostransmitter

Antagonist

a substance that decreases or blocks the effectiveness of a neurotransmitter

Glutamate

most common excitatory neurotransmitter; depolarizes the postsynaptic cell

GABA

most common inhibitory neurotransmitter; hyperpolarizes the postsynaptic cell

Excitatory Postsynaptic Potential (EPSP)

A temporary depolarization of the postsynaptic membrane potential resulting from an influx of positively charged ions such as $\text{Na}^+$.

Inhibitory Postsynaptic Potential (IPSP)

A temporary hyperpolarization of the postsynaptic membrane potential resulting from an influx of negatively charged ions such as $\text{Cl}^-$.

Acetylcholine (ACh)

The first discovered neurotransmitter, excitatory signal at neuromuscular junctions and autonomic synapses, and an important neuromodulator in the CNS.

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE)

enzyme that breaks down acetylcholine in the synaptic cleft

Catecholamines

A group of monoamine neurotransmitters containing a catechol core, including dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine.

Indoleamine

Serotonin ( 5 - HT ) is the main transmitter

Diffuse Modulatory Systems

small group of neurons that project widely through the brain and regulate overall states like mood, attention, arousal and sleep

Endogenous Opioid Peptides

natural opiod chemicals made by the body that help regulate pain, emotion and stress: endorphins, enkephalins and dynorphins

addiction

persistant, hard to control drug use despite harmful consequences

classical conditioning

The body learns to prepare for a drug when it sees familiar drug-related cues.

operant conditioning

A person learns how to act more normal while actively using through practice.

state dependent learning

something learned while using might be performed better again when your using ( studying geeked )

self brain stimulation

animal does a behavior to electrically stimulate the reward areas of the brain ( rat presses lever )

drug self administration

animal does a behavior to give itself drug ( Used to test whether a drug is reinforcing.)

therapeutic effect

the desired physical or behavioral effect of a drug

nocebo effect

negative expectations cause/ increase negative effects

absorption

movement of a drug from where it was administered into the bloodstream

distribution

movement of a drug through the blood to different tissues of body.

metabolism/ inactivation

breaking down drug molecules

excretion

removing drug from body ( urine most important route )

Serotonin ( 5-HT)

helps control sleep/ mood

dopamine ( DA )

helps with motivation, learning and wanting rewards

norepinephrine

A neurotransmitter involved in arousal and alertness

Epinephrine

A neurotransmitter involved in the body’s stress response

reuptake

A neurotransmitter is taken back into the presynaptic neuron by a transporter after being released

MAO ( Monoamine oxidase )

An enzyme that breaks down monoamine neurotransmitters such as catecholamines and serotonin.

Neurotransmitter Release

The presynaptic neuron releases neurotransmitter into the synaptic cleft