PSYB65H3 Lecture Notes - Morphine, Lewis Carroll, Cannabinoid
Document Summary
Cns depressants: look at the eeg of someone, activity of cerebral cortex (shift into relaxed/drowsy state), all of these drugs will depress, if not immediately, but eventually; stimulants will cause. Eeg to shift into arousal state: 3 categories: Gaba = primary inhibitory transmitter in the brain (humans/most mammals) Barbiturates bind to gaba receptors and stimulate them and since. Gaba is inhibitory, by activating these inhibitory receptors slows down activity in the brain. Used to treat epilepsy (hyper-excited), valium/valium derivatives = slows brain down. Since it is synergistic w/ a lot of other depressants like alcohol, you can prevent w/drawal symptoms by giving alcohol. More powerful impact psychologically (alcoholics take up more bed in psychiatric ward than others); very powerful influence on society/medical community b/c so many of them. Cns depressant; yeast digesting sugar and secreting alcohol. Single most detrimental drug in society; negative effect on society as a whole. Largest admission to mental hospitals (20-40% of all beds); sociological problems.
