Psychology 2220A/B Lecture Notes - Lecture 15: Buprenorphine, Lidocaine, Nucleus Accumbens

• School: Western University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: Psychology 2220A/B
• Professor: Yves Bureau

Document Summary

Chapter 15: drug addiction and the brain"s reward circuits. Psychoactive drugs: drugs that influence subjective experience and behaviour by acting on the nervous system. Drug administration: route administration influences the rate at which and the degree to which the drug reaches its site of action. Inhalation: tobacco and marijuana, also some anaesthetics are inhaled, the two main shortcomings are that it is difficult to precisely regulate the dose of inhaled drugs and many substances damage the lungs is they are inhaled chronically. Absorption through the mucosa membrane: some drugs can be administered through the nose, mouth and rectum. In order for a psychoactive drug to have an effect it must get through the brain, passing through the blood-brain barrier. The actions of most drugs are administered by enzymes in the liver (drug metabolism) Small amounts may also be excreted in urine, sweat, feces, breath and mother"s milk.