PSYO 1011 Lecture Notes - Lecture 16: Hallucinogen, Barbiturate, Agonist

• School: Dalhousie University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYO 1011
• Professor: n/a

Document Summary

Drugs & the brain: neurons require specific chemical balance to function properly, drugs carried throughout the blood & brain via capillaries, capillaries contain the blood brain barrier, lets nutrients pass through so neurons can function, selective, however some drugs manage to pass through, drugs alter consciousness by facilitating/inhibiting synaptic transmission. Makes it easier for the nt to stimulate their receptors: prevent the nt from being deactivated, i. e. ) opiates activate endorphins to provide pain relief, i. e. ) amphetamines amplify dopamine & norepinephrine by blocking reuptake of nt. Tolerance & withdrawal: when a drug is used repeatedly, intensity of effects by the dose decreases over time, tolerance, decreasing responsivity to a drug, as it develops, must increase dose to achieve the same effect, stems from body"s desire to maintain homeostasis, compensatory responses, body"s response to changes in bodily function by drug to maintain homeostasis, opposite reactions to the drug.