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Addictions Mideterm
asfa;sfk;lsaf
91
Psychology
Graduate
05/29/2015

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Term
psychoactive drugs
Definition
Any substance that directly alters the normal functioning of the central nervous system
Term
chemical names
Definition
molecular structure (e.g., ethyl alcohol, alprazolam)
Term
trade names
Definition
proprietary names given by makers (e.g., Bacardi, Xanax)
Term
classification by effect
Definition
since there are many varieties of same psychoactive substance (e.g., beer, liquor), it makes sense to classify substances by effect they have (e.g., stimulants, sedatives, etc.)
Term
stimulants
Definition
“Uppers”: cocaine, amphetamines, plant stimulants, caffeine, nicotine, psychostimulants
Term
depressives/sedatives
Definition
“Downers”: opiates and opioids, sedatives, hypnotics, alcohol, muscle relaxants, antihistamine
Term
hallucinogens/psychedelics
Definition
“All Arounders”: LSD, psilocybin mushrooms, peyote, MDMA, cannabinoids, ketamine, PCP, salvia, dextromethorphan, nutmeg
Term
physical effects of uppers
Definition
Small doses stimulate the central nervous system, creating insomnia, energized muscles, increased heart rate, and decreased appetite. Frequent use depletes the body’s energy chemicals.
Term
mental/emotional effects of uppers
Definition
Stronger stimulants increase confidence and excitement and can cause a rush and/or high.
Larger doses can cause extreme nervousness, anxiety, and anger.
Prolonged use causes intense anxiety, paranoia, mental confusion, and sometimes a psychosis.
Term
physical effects of downers
Definition
Small doses depress the central nervous system. They can slow heart rate and respiration, induce sleep, dull the senses, and most important, diminish pain.

Excessive drinking or sedative-hypnotic use can slur speech and cause digestive problems.

Sedative-hypnotics and alcohol in large doses, or in combination with other depressants, can cause dangerous respiratory depression and coma.
Term
mental/emotional effects of downers
Definition
small doses act like stimulants because they lower inhibitions thus inducing freer behavior.

With excess use, depressant effects begin to dominate. Certain downers can also induce euphoria or a sense of well-being. Frequent use depletes the body’s energy chemicals.

Long-term use can cause psychological and physical dependence.
Small doses stimulate the central nervous system, creating insomnia, energized muscles, increased heart rate, and decreased appetite.
Term
physical effects of all arounders
Definition
Most hallucinogenic plants, cause nausea and dizziness.
Marijuana increases appetite and makes the eyes bloodshot.
LSD raises the blood pressure and causes sweating.
MDMA and LSD act like stimulants. The physical effects are not as dominant as the mental effects in this class of substances.
Term
mental/emotional effects of psychadellics
Definition
Psychedelics distort sensory messages to and from the brain stem so many external stimuli are intensified or altered (illusions). Psychedelics can also trigger hallucinations along with distorted thinking (delusions).
Term
inhalants
Definition
Inhalants are gaseous or liquid substances that are inhaled and absorbed through the lungs. They include organic solvents, volatile nitrites, and anesthetics, especially nitrous oxide.
Term
physical effects of inhalants
Definition
Most often there is CNS depression causing dizziness, slurred speech, unsteady gait, and drowsiness.
Heavy use can cause stupor, coma, and asphyxiation. Organic solvents can be toxic to cells in the lung, and other tissues.
Term
mental/emotional effect of inhalants
Definition
Small amounts commonly cause impulsiveness, excitement, mental confusion, and irritability. Some inhalants cause a rush through a variety of mechanisms.
Larger amounts can cause delirium and hallucinations.
Term
physical effects of steroids
Definition
Anabolic steroids increase muscle mass and strength.
Prolonged use can cause acne, high blood pressure, shrunken testes, and masculinization in women.
Term
mental/emotional effects of steroids
Definition
Anabolic steroids often cause a stimulant-like high, increased confidence, and aggression.
Prolonged large-dose use can be accompanied by outbursts of anger known as “roid rage.”
Term
compulsive behaviors
Definition
eating disorders, compulsive gambling, sexual compulsion, internet addiction, and compulsive shopping affect many of the same areas of the brain that are affected by psychoactive drugs
Term
excessive or extremely limited food intake can lead to
Definition
cardiovascular problems, diabetes, nutritional diseases, and/or obesity.
Term
5 historical themes of substance abuse
Definition
1. Human beings have a basic need to cope with their environment and enhance their existence.
2. Human brain chemistry can be affected by psychoactive drugs, behavioral addictions, and mental illness to induce an altered state of consciousness.
3. The ruling class, government, business and criminal organizations have been involved in growing, manufacturing, distributing, taxing, and prohibiting drugs.
4. Technological advances in refining, synthesizing, and manufacturing drugs have increased the potency of these substances.
5. The development of faster and more efficient methods of delivering drugs into the body intensified the effects.
Term
pharmakoinetics
Definition
– the process by which substances are absorbed
Term
Mucous membrane absorption
Definition
snorting into the nose, or putting in mouth, vagina, rectum; substances absorbed by capillaries in mucous membranes; reaches brain in 1 minute (snorting) to 15 minutes (suppositories); allows titration
Term
quickest ways to get drugs into blood stream (in order of quickest to slowest)
Definition
1. inhaling
2. injecting
3. mucos membrane absorption
4. oral ingestion
5. contact absorption
Term
half-life
Definition
– how long it takes half of the dose to be broken down (become inactive); varies by drug and by individual (age, race, gender, emotional state, etc.); most metabolism is regulated by the liver
Term
blood-brain barrier
Definition
protects the CNS by only permitting certain substances to leave the capillary and enter neural tissue
Term
role of central nervous system
Definition
enables us to remember, reason, create, weigh different types of outcomes, and make difficult decision
Term
top brain
Definition
– frontal lobes, executive functioning, cognitive control, complex decision-making, inhibition (or disinhibition of harmful substance use); “stop switch”
Term
bottom brain
Definition
– limbic system, cerebellum, brain stem; regulates physiological functions of the body (e.g., heart rate, temperature, hormones), smooth muscle movements, balance; limbic system is primarily in charge of emotions and plays some role in memory; craving; “go switch”
Term
norepinephrine, epinephrine
Definition
stimulants; used in flight-or-fight response; affect motivation, hunger, attention span, alertness, confidence (a.k.a., adrenaline)
Term
dopamine
Definition
emotions, movements, reward, novelty; implicated in Parkinson’s, sensory deficits in Schizophrenia; targeted by “old” psychotropic drugs (e.g., MAO inhibitors)
Term
seretonin
Definition
emotions, appetite, sleep, sexual activity; targeted by “new” psychotropic drugs (e.g., SSRIs)
Term
histamine
Definition
stimulant; controls inflammation, regulates emotions and sleep, arousal, attention
Term
GABA
Definition
inhibitory neurotransmitter; impulses, muscle relaxation, arousal
Term
glutamate
Definition
excitatory neurotransmitter, present in 80% of neurons; cognition, motor function, sensory perception functions
Term
Endorphins, Enkephalins, Opioid peptide
Definition
pain, stress, immune response, physiological functions; signal reward when released in limbic structures
Term
substance p
Definition
– conveys pain impulses from the peripheral nervous system; enkephalins block the release of substance P
Term
ACH
Definition
regulates cardiovascular functions, sleep, memory, learning; implicated in Alzheimer’s disease
Term
anadamide and endocannabinoids
Definition
Found throughout the nervous system (central and peripheral); integration of sensory experiences and emotion (including pain), learning, memory, motor coordination
THC has an affinity for endocannabinoid receptors
Term
corticotrophins
Definition
Stress hormones (metabolized to function like neurotransmitters) released during flight-or-fight response
immune functioning, circadian rhythm
Term
adenosine
Definition
Autoregulatory hormone involved in inhibition of CNS functioning by decreasing release of glutamate and dopamine
Caffeine inhibits adenosine
Term
down regulation
Definition
decreased sensitivity to substance; cells that are over-stimulated adjust by deactivating receptors available at synapse
Term
up regulation
Definition
increased sensitivity through increasing number of receptors available at synapse
Term
agonists
Definition
drugs that mimic or facilitate effects of neurotransmitters
Term
antagonists
Definition
– drugs that block effects or release of neurotransmitters
Term
partial agonists
Definition
– drugs that partially mimic effects of neurotransmitters
Term
tolerance
Definition
Adaptation of sensory perception, cognitive, physiological, and pharmacological processes to repeated substance use and/or intoxication
Larger amounts of substance is needed to achieve the same effect due to enactment of compensatory processes
Term
acute tolerance
Definition
– instant adaptation to effects of substance
Term
dispositional tolerance
Definition
increased metabolism to eliminate substance
Term
Pharmacodynamic tolerance
Definition
– nerve cells become less sensitive (e.g., down regulation)
Term
behavioral tolerance
Definition
brain learns to compensate by using different modes of information processing, enhancing control at critical moments, engaging habitual/automatic responses
Term
reverse tolerance
Definition
becoming less sensitive to effect of substance (e.g., age, illness)
Term
select tolerance
Definition
different compensatory mechanisms develop at different rates (e.g., greater tolerance for mood than for sleep effects)
Term
cross tolerance
Definition
– developing tolerance to one drug increases tolerance to another drug
Term
dependence
Definition
biological adaptation of body due to prolonged use of the drug, such that functioning is impeded or disrupted when drug is removed
Term
crossdependence
Definition
development of dependence on one drug leads to development of dependence on another drug (typically for same drug type, e.g., opiates)
Term
post acute withdrawal symptoms
Definition
emotional and psychological problems that persist up to six months after recovery (with some episodic recurrence)
Term
addictive disease (medical model)
Definition
Addiction is a chronic, progressive, incurable, and potentially fatal condition that is generally a result of genetic or other biological processes that may become dysfunctional or predispose individuals to problematic substance use.
Term
sensitization reward pathway
Definition
Limbic system is implicated in processing, memory and learning during drug intoxication; drug gets coded as super awesome rewarding event, and repeated use only reinforces this
Term
allostasis
Definition
– the process of achieving stability through change
Term
allostatic state
Definition
a state of chronic deviation of the regulatory system from its normal (homeostatic) functioning

Repeated and frequent drug use may result in allostatic state, which is characterized by chronic negative mood and other functional decrements. Drug use continues in an effort to ameliorate allostatic state.
Term
tension reduction hypothesis
Definition
in order to become reinforcing, the event must reduce a negative drive state (e.g., hunger, anxiety)
Term
stress response dampening model
Definition
alcohol reduces psychological and physiological correlates of stress
Term
coping model
Definition
expectations of stress and tension relieving effects increase probability of drinking to cope with stressful events
Term
diathesis stress model
Definition
– certain characteristics predispose some individuals to later onsets of addictive behaviors (e.g., common diathesis); some of these characteristics may be associated with an increased sensitivity to stress or with a decreased sensitivity to reward
Deficit in maintaining adequate arousal level – seen in addictions, ADHD, psychopathy
Increased reactivity to stress – seen in mood and anxiety disorders
Different substances can help modulate these states for different people
Term
trait-related tension reduction
Definition
– certain characteristics predispose some individuals to later onsets of addictive behaviors (e.g., common diathesis); some of these characteristics may be associated with an increased sensitivity to stress or with a decreased sensitivity to reward
Deficit in maintaining adequate arousal level – seen in addictions, ADHD, psychopathy
Increased reactivity to stress – seen in mood and anxiety disorders
Different substances can help modulate these states for different people
Term
heredity of addictive disorders
Definition
40 – 60%
Term
cocaine/crack
Definition
Cocaine prevents the reabsorption of epinephrine, norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine thus increasing their concentration in the synapse and intensifying their effects.
By blocking the reabsorption of stimulant neurotransmitters, continued metabolism leads to the rapid depletion energy chemicals. So the crash after using cocaine can be intensely depressing.
Term
which is more addictive, crack or cocaine? why?
Definition
crack due it’s faster absorption into the bloodstream via lungs, resulting in more intense more immediate effect, compared to snorting (although not as intense as injecting it)
Term
amphetamines and methamphetamines
Definition
used to energize the user, counter low blood pressure, reduce the need for sleep, and suppress appetite.

Long-term use can cause sleep deprivation, heart and blood vessel toxicity, and severe malnutrition. Malnutrition, cravings for sweet foods, poor dental hygiene, and severe oral dehydration often result in bad gums and rotted teeth.

Withdrawal from methamphetamine or cocaine results in physical and emotional depression, extreme irritability, nervousness, anergia, anhedonia, and craving.

Large amounts can cause an overdose, resulting in convulsions, hyperthermia, stroke, cardiovascular over-excitation, and collapse.
Term
caffeine
Definition
causes stimulation by releasing the brain’s stimulants and also by inhibiting adenosine
Term
nicotine
Definition
a central nervous system stimulant, disrupts the balance of endorphins, epinephrine, dopamine, and acetylcholine.
Acetylcholine affects heart rate, blood pressure, memory, learning, reflexes, aggression, sleep, sexual activity, and mental acuity.

The release of dopamine makes a smoker feel satisfied and calm thus resulting in tranquilizing as well as stimulating effects.

Nicotine is not the only substance that can harm multiple systems (i.e., does not just affect the brain)
Term
nicotine tolerance and withdrawal
Definition
Tolerance does not continue to build as it does with amphetamines.

Withdrawal from a pack- or two-pack-a-day habit after prolonged use can cause headaches, nervousness, fatigue, hunger, severe irritability, poor concentration, depression, increased appetite, sleep disturbances, and intense nicotine craving.
Term
nociceptic pain
Definition
caused by stimulation of pain receptors, mostly by external stimuli from damaged body tissues.
Term
non nociceptive pain
Definition
pain caused by nerve cell dysfunction arising within the peripheral and central nervous systems. Chronic pain is often of this type.
Term
long term use of opioids
Definition
A temporary increase in sensitivity of nerve cells.
An abnormal increase in pain that may persist after a pain stimulus is removed.
A painful response to normally innocuous stimuli such as a light touch on the skin.
A hypersensitivity to emotional distres
Term
opiate tolerance
Definition
Tolerance occurs when the body tries to neutralize the heroin by speeding up the metabolism, desensitizing nerve cells, excreting the drug more rapidly, or altering the brain and body chemistry to compensate for the effects of the drug.
Term
tolerance to opiates
Definition
Tolerance occurs when the body tries to neutralize the heroin by speeding up the metabolism, desensitizing nerve cells, excreting the drug more rapidly, or altering the brain and body chemistry to compensate for the effects of the drug.
Term
acute withdrawal
Definition
occurs as the body tries to return to normal too quickly (e.g., Heroin, 2 – 7 days).
Term
protracted withdrawal
Definition
) lasts for months after abstinence has begun (e.g., Methadone, 15 – 30 days).
Term
sedatives
Definition
calming, sleep inducing drugs. Some of these have very different chemistry, but all have depressing effects on the central nervous system.
Term
benzodiazepines
Definition
Produce same effects as drinking alcohol
Relax during stressful situations
Term
barbiturates
Definition
Barbiturates affect GABA, therefore acting as a brake on inhibitions, anxiety, and restlessness. Because they can induce a feeling of disinhibitory euphoria, barbiturates have an initial stimulatory effect. Their effects are very similar to those of alcohol.
Term
ethyol alcohol
Definition
least toxic and is found in all alcoholic beverages
Term
alcohol mixed with energy drinks
Definition
Promotes disinhibition and hazardous decisions
Increases desire for more alcohol
May be associated with special occasions or with other personality, genetic risk factors
Term
physiological effects of alcohol
Definition
Absorption of alcohol into the bloodstream takes place at various sites along the gastrointestinal tract, including the stomach, the small intestines, and the colon.
In men, more alcohol is absorbed by the stomach than women.
Most of the alcohol enters the capillaries in the walls of the small intestines through passive diffusion.
Women register higher blood alcohol concentrations than men from the same amount of alcohol.
Term
neurotransmitters and alcohol consumption
Definition
The release of serotonin raises mood then depletes it causing depression.
Dopamine release gives a surge of pleasure.
Glutamate intensifies the effects of dopamine.
The release of endorphins and anandamides enhances the reinforcing effect.
Alcohol causes GABA to lower psychological inhibitions, slow neurotransmission, and eventually slow down all of the brain processes.
Term
Type I alcoholics
Definition
milieu-influenced, later-onset, and takes years of drinking to trigger.
Term
type II alcoholism
Definition
affects sons of male alcoholics, has a strong genetic component, and is only mildly influenced by environmental factors.
Term
type A alcoholics
Definition
later onset with less family history and less severe dependence
Term
type b alcoholism
Definition
more severe, earlier onset, with more impulsive behavior and conduct problems, and more sever dependence
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