Term
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Definition
| Any substance that directly alters the normal functioning of the central nervous system |
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Definition
| molecular structure (e.g., ethyl alcohol, alprazolam) |
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Definition
| proprietary names given by makers (e.g., Bacardi, Xanax) |
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Term
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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.) |
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Term
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Definition
| “Uppers”: cocaine, amphetamines, plant stimulants, caffeine, nicotine, psychostimulants |
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Term
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Definition
| “Downers”: opiates and opioids, sedatives, hypnotics, alcohol, muscle relaxants, antihistamine |
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Term
| hallucinogens/psychedelics |
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Definition
| “All Arounders”: LSD, psilocybin mushrooms, peyote, MDMA, cannabinoids, ketamine, PCP, salvia, dextromethorphan, nutmeg |
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Term
| physical effects of uppers |
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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. |
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Term
| mental/emotional effects of uppers |
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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. |
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Term
| physical effects of downers |
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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. |
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Term
| mental/emotional effects of downers |
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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. |
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Term
| physical effects of all arounders |
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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. |
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Term
| mental/emotional effects of psychadellics |
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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). |
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Term
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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. |
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Term
| physical effects of inhalants |
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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. |
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Term
| mental/emotional effect of inhalants |
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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. |
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Term
| physical effects of steroids |
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Definition
Anabolic steroids increase muscle mass and strength.
Prolonged use can cause acne, high blood pressure, shrunken testes, and masculinization in women. |
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Term
| mental/emotional effects of steroids |
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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.” |
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Term
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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 |
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Term
| excessive or extremely limited food intake can lead to |
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Definition
| cardiovascular problems, diabetes, nutritional diseases, and/or obesity. |
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Term
| 5 historical themes of substance abuse |
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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. |
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Term
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Definition
| – the process by which substances are absorbed |
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Term
| Mucous membrane absorption |
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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 |
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Term
| quickest ways to get drugs into blood stream (in order of quickest to slowest) |
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Definition
1. inhaling
2. injecting
3. mucos membrane absorption
4. oral ingestion
5. contact absorption |
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Term
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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 |
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Term
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Definition
| protects the CNS by only permitting certain substances to leave the capillary and enter neural tissue |
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Term
| role of central nervous system |
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Definition
| enables us to remember, reason, create, weigh different types of outcomes, and make difficult decision |
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Term
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Definition
| – frontal lobes, executive functioning, cognitive control, complex decision-making, inhibition (or disinhibition of harmful substance use); “stop switch” |
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Term
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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” |
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Term
| norepinephrine, epinephrine |
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Definition
| stimulants; used in flight-or-fight response; affect motivation, hunger, attention span, alertness, confidence (a.k.a., adrenaline) |
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Term
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Definition
| emotions, movements, reward, novelty; implicated in Parkinson’s, sensory deficits in Schizophrenia; targeted by “old” psychotropic drugs (e.g., MAO inhibitors) |
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Definition
| emotions, appetite, sleep, sexual activity; targeted by “new” psychotropic drugs (e.g., SSRIs) |
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Definition
| stimulant; controls inflammation, regulates emotions and sleep, arousal, attention |
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Term
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Definition
| inhibitory neurotransmitter; impulses, muscle relaxation, arousal |
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Term
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Definition
| excitatory neurotransmitter, present in 80% of neurons; cognition, motor function, sensory perception functions |
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Term
| Endorphins, Enkephalins, Opioid peptide |
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Definition
| pain, stress, immune response, physiological functions; signal reward when released in limbic structures |
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Term
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Definition
| – conveys pain impulses from the peripheral nervous system; enkephalins block the release of substance P |
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Term
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Definition
| regulates cardiovascular functions, sleep, memory, learning; implicated in Alzheimer’s disease |
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Term
| anadamide and endocannabinoids |
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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 |
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Term
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Definition
Stress hormones (metabolized to function like neurotransmitters) released during flight-or-fight response
immune functioning, circadian rhythm |
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Term
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Definition
Autoregulatory hormone involved in inhibition of CNS functioning by decreasing release of glutamate and dopamine
Caffeine inhibits adenosine |
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Term
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Definition
| decreased sensitivity to substance; cells that are over-stimulated adjust by deactivating receptors available at synapse |
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Term
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Definition
| increased sensitivity through increasing number of receptors available at synapse |
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Term
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Definition
| drugs that mimic or facilitate effects of neurotransmitters |
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Term
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Definition
| – drugs that block effects or release of neurotransmitters |
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Term
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Definition
| – drugs that partially mimic effects of neurotransmitters |
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Term
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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 |
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Term
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Definition
| – instant adaptation to effects of substance |
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Term
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Definition
| increased metabolism to eliminate substance |
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Term
| Pharmacodynamic tolerance |
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Definition
| – nerve cells become less sensitive (e.g., down regulation) |
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Term
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Definition
| brain learns to compensate by using different modes of information processing, enhancing control at critical moments, engaging habitual/automatic responses |
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Term
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Definition
| becoming less sensitive to effect of substance (e.g., age, illness) |
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Term
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Definition
| different compensatory mechanisms develop at different rates (e.g., greater tolerance for mood than for sleep effects) |
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Term
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Definition
| – developing tolerance to one drug increases tolerance to another drug |
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Term
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Definition
| biological adaptation of body due to prolonged use of the drug, such that functioning is impeded or disrupted when drug is removed |
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Term
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Definition
| development of dependence on one drug leads to development of dependence on another drug (typically for same drug type, e.g., opiates) |
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Term
| post acute withdrawal symptoms |
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Definition
| emotional and psychological problems that persist up to six months after recovery (with some episodic recurrence) |
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Term
| addictive disease (medical model) |
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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. |
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Term
| sensitization reward pathway |
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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 |
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Term
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Definition
| – the process of achieving stability through change |
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Term
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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. |
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Term
| tension reduction hypothesis |
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Definition
| in order to become reinforcing, the event must reduce a negative drive state (e.g., hunger, anxiety) |
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Term
| stress response dampening model |
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Definition
| alcohol reduces psychological and physiological correlates of stress |
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Term
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Definition
| expectations of stress and tension relieving effects increase probability of drinking to cope with stressful events |
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Term
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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 |
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Term
| trait-related tension reduction |
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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 |
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Term
| heredity of addictive disorders |
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Definition
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Term
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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. |
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Term
| which is more addictive, crack or cocaine? why? |
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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) |
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Term
| amphetamines and methamphetamines |
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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. |
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Term
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Definition
| causes stimulation by releasing the brain’s stimulants and also by inhibiting adenosine |
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Term
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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) |
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Term
| nicotine tolerance and withdrawal |
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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. |
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Term
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Definition
| caused by stimulation of pain receptors, mostly by external stimuli from damaged body tissues. |
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Term
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Definition
| pain caused by nerve cell dysfunction arising within the peripheral and central nervous systems. Chronic pain is often of this type. |
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Term
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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 |
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Term
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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. |
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Term
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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. |
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Term
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Definition
| occurs as the body tries to return to normal too quickly (e.g., Heroin, 2 – 7 days). |
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Term
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Definition
| ) lasts for months after abstinence has begun (e.g., Methadone, 15 – 30 days). |
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Term
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Definition
| calming, sleep inducing drugs. Some of these have very different chemistry, but all have depressing effects on the central nervous system. |
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Term
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Definition
Produce same effects as drinking alcohol
Relax during stressful situations |
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Term
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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. |
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Term
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Definition
| least toxic and is found in all alcoholic beverages |
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Term
| alcohol mixed with energy drinks |
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Definition
Promotes disinhibition and hazardous decisions
Increases desire for more alcohol
May be associated with special occasions or with other personality, genetic risk factors |
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Term
| physiological effects of alcohol |
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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. |
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Term
| neurotransmitters and alcohol consumption |
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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. |
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Term
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Definition
| milieu-influenced, later-onset, and takes years of drinking to trigger. |
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Term
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Definition
| affects sons of male alcoholics, has a strong genetic component, and is only mildly influenced by environmental factors. |
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Definition
| later onset with less family history and less severe dependence |
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Term
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Definition
| more severe, earlier onset, with more impulsive behavior and conduct problems, and more sever dependence |
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