L7 - psychomotor stimulants - amphetamines and cocaine

Psychomotor stimulants

A class of drugs that increase alertness, arousal, and motor activity. The two main categories are amphetamines and cocaine.

which naturally occuring stimulant is found in khat leaves?

cathinone

sympathomimetic effects

effects that mimic the sympathetic nervous syste, including increased blood pressure, hyperthermia and bronchodilation

current accepted medical uses of amphetamines

ADHD and narcolepsy

tolerance vs sensitisation

tolerance - reduced response after repeatedly closely spaced use

sensitisation - increased behavioural response after intermittent, widely spaced use

most potent amphetamine

methamphetamine

cocaine vs amphetamine duration

cocaine - half life 0.5 -1.5 hours

amphetamine - half life about 10 hours

psychomotor sensitisation

increase in locomotor activity or stereotypes behaviour after repeated stimulant use

four factors that increase psychomotor sensitisation or stimulant self-administration.

• Stress

• Female sex

• Rapid IV drug delivery

• Novel drug-taking environment

street purity of amphetamine in the UK

around 10%

analeptic

drug that promotes weakefulness and alertness

what behavioural effect is seen in animals at low doses of amphetamine?

locomotor hyperactivity

what behavioural effect is seen in animals at higher doses of amphetamine

stereotyped (repetitive) behaviours

why might cocaine users repeatedly take the drug over a short period?

this is due to the high that cocaine gives being short-lives about 5 to 15 minutes after smoking it