Thinking About Psychology: The Science of Mind and Behavior

1. Thinking About Psychology: The Science of Mind and Behavior Charles T. Blair-Broeker Randal M. Ernst

2. Drugs Module 22

3. Psychoactivity and Dependence Module 22: Drugs

4. Psychoactive Drug • A chemical substance that alters perceptions, mood, or behavior • Three common psychoactive drugs: • Caffeine • Alcohol • Nicotine • Induce an altered state of consciousness

5. Dependence • A state of physiological and/or psychological need to take more of a substance after continued use. • Withdrawal follows if the drug is discontinued

6. Dependence • Play “Brain Mechanisms of Pleasure and Addiction” (6:51) Segment #6 from The Mind: Psychology Teaching Modules (2nd edition).

7. Withdrawal • The discomfort and distress that follow when a person who is dependent on a drug discontinues the use of the drug • Withdrawal symptoms are usually the reverse of the drug’s effects.

8. Tolerance • Reduced responsiveness to a drug, prompting the user to increase the dosage to achieve effects previously obtained by lower doses of the drug

9. Tolerance

10. Drugs and Neurotransmission Module 22: Drugs

11. Neurotransmission • The process whereby neurons communicate with each other • Neurotransmission, especially in the brain and spinal cord, helps explain the effects of psychoactive drugs. • Psychoactive drugs interfere with normal neurotransmission.

12. Neurotransmitters • Chemical messengers that cross synaptic gaps between neurons • When released by the sending neuron, neurotransmitters travel across the synapse and bind to receptor sites on the receiving neuron, setting up the next link in the chain of communication.

13. Synapse • The junction between the tip of the sending neuron and the receptor sites on the receiving neuron • Call the synaptic gap or cleft

14. Neural Activity

15. Neurotransmitters and the Synapse

16. Reuptake • Process where the unused neurotransmitter chemical is reabsorbed by the sending neuron

17. Reuptake

18. Psychoactive Drugs and Synapses • Psychoactive drugs affect synapses and neurotransmitters in three ways: • Binding with receptors • Blocking receptor site • Blocking neurotransmitters’ reuptake

20. Drug Classifications Module 22: Drugs

21. Five Psychoactive Drug Categories • Five different categories we will study: • Depressants • Opiates • Stimulants • Hallucinogens • Marijuana

22. Drug Classifications: Depressants Module 22: Drugs

23. Depressants • Drugs that reduce neural activity and slow body functioning • Includes alcohol and sedatives

24. Alcohol (ethyl alcohol) • Found in beer, wine, and liquor • The second most used psychoactive drug (caffeine first) • Slows thinking, and impairs physical activity

25. Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) • A measure of how much alcohol is in a person’s bloodstream • BAC of .8 considered legal intoxication in most states

26. Euphoric Affects of Alcohol • Alcohol impairs the parts of the brain responsible for controlling inhibitions and making judgments

27. Alcohol, Memory, and Sleep • Studies have shown that alcohol impairs memory by suppressing the processing of events into long term memory. • Alcohol impairs REM sleep, further disrupting memory storage.

28. Alcoholism and Heredity • Play “Alcohol Addiction: Hereditary Factors” (11:40) Segment #29 from The Mind: Psychology Teaching Modules (2nd edition).

29. Sedatives • Drugs that reduce anxiety or induce sleep • Also called tranquilizers • Include barbiturates and benzodiazepines

30. Barbiturates • Drugs that depress the activity of the central nervous system and thereby reduce anxiety • Can be lethal in overdose and interact with other drugs, especially alcohol • Impair both memory and judgment • Can create tolerance and dependence

31. Benzodiazepines • Drugs that depress that activity of the central nervous system without most of the side effects associated with barbiturates • Include Valium and Xanax • Can create dependency

32. Addiction and Depressants • Play “Depressants and Their Addictive Effect on the Brain” (4:24) Segment #22 from The Mind: Psychology Teaching Modules (2nd edition).

33. Drug Classifications: Opiates Module 22: Drugs

34. Opiates • Drugs that depress neural activity, temporarily lesson pain and anxiety • Include: opium, morphine, and heroin

35. Morphine • Strong sedative and pain-relieving drug derived from opium • Works by preventing pain neurons from firing or releasing pain-signaling neurotransmitters into the synapse

36. Endorphins • Natural, opiate-like neurotransmitters linked to pain control and to pleasure • Body’s natural pain killers

37. Endorphins • Play “Endorphins: The Brain’s Natural Morphine” (5:01) Segment #5 from The Mind: Psychology Teaching Modules (2nd edition).

38. Drug Classifications: Stimulants Module 22: Drugs

39. Stimulants • Drugs that excite neural activity and speed up body functions • Include: caffeine, nicotine, amphetamines, and cocaine

40. Caffeine • Stimulant found in coffee, chocolate, tea, and some soft drinks • Provides user with a sense of increased energy, mental alertness, and forced wakefulness • Blocks neurological receptor sites that , if activated, sedate the central nervous system

41. Nicotine • Stimulant found in tobacco • Effects similar to those of caffeine • Very addictive and does not stay in the body very long

42. Cocaine • Stimulant derived from leaves of the coca plant • Crack – cocaine crystals • Blocks the reuptake of certain neurotransmitters • Dependency is quick and severe; places extreme strain on cardiovascular system

43. Amphetamines • Drugs that stimulate neural activity, speeding up body functions, with associated energy and mood changes • Includes: speed, uppers, and methamphetamines • Mimic adrenaline • Can cause irreversible changes in mood

44. Drug Classifications: Hallucinogens Module 22: Drugs

45. Hallucinogens • Drugs that distort perceptions and evoke sensory images in the absence of sensory input • Include: LSD and ecstasy • Sometimes called “psychedelics”

46. Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) • Powerful hallucinogenic drug • Also known as “acid” • The effects vary from person to person • Users can be dangerous to themselves and others.

47. Ecstasy • Hallucinogenic drug that produces lower inhibitions, pleasant feelings, and greater acceptance of others • Also called MDMA • Even moderate users may experience permanent brain damage.

48. Drug Classifications: Marijuana Module 22: Drugs

49. Marijuana • Leaves, stems, resin, and flowers form the hemp plant that, when smoked, lower inhibitions and produce feelings of relaxation and mild euphoria • THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) is the active ingredient • Disrupts memory; lung damage from smoke