DrugsDrugs

What is a Psychoactive What is a Psychoactive Drug?Drug?

Chemical substance that alters Chemical substance that alters perceptions, mood, or behavior through perceptions, mood, or behavior through their actions at the neural synapse their actions at the neural synapse

Three most common psychoactive drugs:Three most common psychoactive drugs: CaffeineCaffeine AlcoholAlcohol NicotineNicotine

Cause an altered state of consciousnessCause an altered state of consciousness

Drugs and Drugs and NeurotransmissioNeurotransmissio

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Neurotransmitters and the Neurotransmitters and the SynapseSynapse

ReuptakeReuptake

Psychoactive Drugs and Psychoactive Drugs and SynapsesSynapses

Affect synapses and Affect synapses and neurotransmitters in several ways:neurotransmitters in several ways: Binding with receptors (agonists)Binding with receptors (agonists) Blocking receptor site (antagonists)Blocking receptor site (antagonists) Blocking neurotransmitter’s Blocking neurotransmitter’s

reuptakereuptake Inhibiting action potentials Inhibiting action potentials

How Are Drug Effects How Are Drug Effects Studied?Studied? Carefully controlled conditionsCarefully controlled conditions

Compare behavior before and after use of Compare behavior before and after use of drugdrug

Often use the double-blind procedure Often use the double-blind procedure No one knows who is taking the placebo and who is No one knows who is taking the placebo and who is

taking the drug taking the drug Tricky because:Tricky because:

Drugs affect different people differentlyDrugs affect different people differently Drugs can affect the same person differently at Drugs can affect the same person differently at

different times different times

Drug Drug ClassificationsClassifications

Psychoactive Drug Psychoactive Drug CategoriesCategories

Three different categories we Three different categories we study:study: DepressantsDepressants StimulantsStimulants HallucinogensHallucinogens

1. Depressants1. Depressants

Drugs that reduce neural Drugs that reduce neural activity and slow body activity and slow body functioningfunctioning

Includes alcohol, barbiturates Includes alcohol, barbiturates (anything that ends in an “al”), (anything that ends in an “al”), and opiates (body’s own opiates and opiates (body’s own opiates = endorphins)= endorphins)

Affects of AlcoholAffects of Alcohol Effects:Effects:

Part of brain that controls inhibitions and making Part of brain that controls inhibitions and making judgmentsjudgments

Perceptual-motor skillsPerceptual-motor skills Visual-spatial processingVisual-spatial processing Problem solvingProblem solving Abstract reasoningAbstract reasoning

Studies have shown that alcohol impairs Studies have shown that alcohol impairs memory by suppressing the processing of memory by suppressing the processing of events into long term memoryevents into long term memory

Alcohol impairs REM sleep, further disrupting Alcohol impairs REM sleep, further disrupting memory storagememory storage

Can literally shrink the brainCan literally shrink the brain

What areas of the brain is it affecting?

2. Stimulants2. Stimulants

Drugs that excite neural activity Drugs that excite neural activity and speed up body functionsand speed up body functions

Include: caffeine, nicotine, Include: caffeine, nicotine, amphetamines, MDMA (ecstasy) amphetamines, MDMA (ecstasy) and cocaineand cocaine

CaffeineCaffeine

Stimulant found in coffee, Stimulant found in coffee, chocolate, tea, and some soft drinkschocolate, tea, and some soft drinks

Provides user with a sense of Provides user with a sense of increased energy, mental alertness, increased energy, mental alertness, and forced wakefulnessand forced wakefulness

Blocks neurological receptor sites Blocks neurological receptor sites that, if activated, sedate the central that, if activated, sedate the central nervous systemnervous system

NicotineNicotine Stimulant found in tobaccoStimulant found in tobacco Very addictive and does not stay in the Very addictive and does not stay in the

body very longbody very long Will reach the brain in 7 seconds Will reach the brain in 7 seconds releases releases

epinephrine and norepinephrine epinephrine and norepinephrine diminishes diminishes appetite and boost alertness and mental appetite and boost alertness and mental efficiency efficiency

Just as quickly addictive as heroin and cocaine Just as quickly addictive as heroin and cocaine Also stimulates the release of dopamine and Also stimulates the release of dopamine and

natural opiates natural opiates

Facts about NicotineFacts about Nicotine Tobacco kills 5.4 million of its 1.3 billion Tobacco kills 5.4 million of its 1.3 billion

consumers a year consumers a year A teen-to-grave smoker has a 50% chance of A teen-to-grave smoker has a 50% chance of

dying from the habitdying from the habit If you don’t smoke by the time you get through If you don’t smoke by the time you get through

your college years, you probably never willyour college years, you probably never will Among teens whose parents and best friends Among teens whose parents and best friends

are nonsmokers, the smoking rate is close to 0are nonsmokers, the smoking rate is close to 0 Half of all Americans who have ever smoked, Half of all Americans who have ever smoked,

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Methamphetamine Methamphetamine Temporarily triggers the release of Temporarily triggers the release of

dopamine (enhanced energy and dopamine (enhanced energy and mood)mood)

Over time, will reduce the baseline Over time, will reduce the baseline dopamine levels in the body leaving dopamine levels in the body leaving the user with a depressed the user with a depressed functioningfunctioning

3. Hallucinogens3. Hallucinogens

Distort perceptions and evoke Distort perceptions and evoke sensory images in the absence sensory images in the absence of sensory inputof sensory input

Include: LSD and Marijuana Include: LSD and Marijuana Albert Hofmann – creator of LSDAlbert Hofmann – creator of LSD

Marijuana Marijuana

Gets to the brain in 7 secondsGets to the brain in 7 seconds Will linger in the body for a month or moreWill linger in the body for a month or more THC is a anandamide agonist THC is a anandamide agonist

Triggers release of other neurotransmitters Triggers release of other neurotransmitters (dopamine, serotonin) (dopamine, serotonin)

Alters sensory perception (cerebral cortex), Alters sensory perception (cerebral cortex), effects movement, impact memory effects movement, impact memory (hippocampus) (hippocampus)

Biology, Psychological, and Biology, Psychological, and Social influences Social influences

Some people may be vulnerable to particular drugsSome people may be vulnerable to particular drugs Drug use can be caused by psychological factorsDrug use can be caused by psychological factors

StressStress DepressionDepression Feelings of failureFeelings of failure

Social influencesSocial influences Young, unmarried, and have recently left home – more Young, unmarried, and have recently left home – more

likely to use drugslikely to use drugs Married and have children, drug use decreasesMarried and have children, drug use decreases Peers – also what adolescents think their friends are Peers – also what adolescents think their friends are

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