Drugs and the Nervous System Addiction and alterations of NT actions

Is it a disease or a Choice? Is there a cure or a Change?

2007 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National Findings Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

Methods for taking Drugs? Injection Inhalation Ingestion Shorting

Analyze the Graph Who will experience greatest effect? Who will experience least effect? Who will experience quickest effect? Who will experience slowest effect? What factors can change effects of drugs on your body?

Why can’t you get addicted to all types of drugs? Drugs that alter only neurotransmitters levels Genetic probability

How drugs work Bind to receptors and increase action of NT Mimic action of NT –Nicotine: acH Increase level of NT –Ex: nicotine Cause NT to remain in synaptic cleft –Ex: cocaine Blocks reuptake –LSD blocks serotonin

Types of Drugs Agonists Activates the receptor triggering an action potential or helps NT bind Antagonists Binds to a receptor preventing a NT from binding there

Why addiction occurs? When taking drugs they either bind to a receptor or enhance NT action. The number of receptors that the NT/drug binds can decline….This can lead to? –Needing more of the drug to get the same effect

DRUGS: altering NT actions Cocaine: blocks dopamine reuptake –Effect: euphoria Happiness, increases energy

Tryptophan: increases serotonin Precursor to serotonin Dietary sleep aid –Sleepiness

Drugs that alter NT levels Valium: GABA (enhances some receptor enhances receptor binding) –Decreases anxiety –aka gamma aminobutyric acid Nicotine: increases receptors of AcH mimics AcH –Pleasure/ alertness Dopomine

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