Post on 26-Dec-2015
Drug Administration and Absorption
• Ingestion
• Injection– Subcutaneously (SC)– Intramuscularly (IM)– Intravenously (IV)
• Inhalation
• Absorption through mucous membranes
Drug Tolerance
• Definition
• Metabolic tolerance
• Functional tolerance
• Cross tolerance
• No unitary mechanism
Addicts
• Habitual drug users– Adverse effects on their health, social life– May be linked to psychological
dependence
Tobacco
• Nicotine
• Acts on the nicotinic receptor (a type of acetylcholine receptor)
• Increases blood pressure, heart rate, and release of epinephrine (adrenaline)
• Addiction may have a genetic basis….?
• Many side effects and withdrawal symptoms
Alcohol
• Most used and abused
• Affects general nervous system
• Activates a specific type of GABA and glutamate receptor
• Addiction has a major genetic component
• Long term use can cause irreversible damage to the brain, liver, heart, and stomach
Marijuana
• Active ingredient is THC
• Intensifies sensory experiences, increases appetite
• Lack of energy and ambition
• Many medical uses
• Binds to cannabinoid receptors in the brain, but the exact mechanisms of action are not clear
Cocaine and Amphetamines
• Crack cocaine
• Extremely addictive, mild withdrawals
• Blocks reuptake of NE and DA (catecholamines)
• Effects are brief
Opiates
• Include morphine, heroin, codeine
• Produces a pleasant state and decreases sensitivity to pain
• Bad side effects
• Attaches to endogenous receptors
Biopsychological Theories of drug addiction
• Moral model
• Disease model
• Physical-dependence theory
• Positive-incentive theory
Vulnerability to Drugs
• Biological factors
• Personal characteristics
• Family situation
• Social and community factors