PSYC 1250 Lecture Notes - Lecture 19: Partial Agonist, Hypoventilation, Opiate
19 Nov 2018
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Chronic heroin abuse is subject to tolerance effects over time. Analgesia, euphoria, respiratory depression, vomiting/nausea, pupil constriction. Tolerance to positive effects, not so much negative effects. Once of the major problems surrounding heroin abuse is the unpredictability in the content of a heroin dose. Opiates act on many places in the brain. Opiates can change brain stem automatic body functions, depressed breathing. Opiates can change limbic system emotions. Affects multiple places in brain and spinal cord. Body normally produces substances that affect receptors in same way as opiates. Figure out how to stop drug from being rewarding but not block actual body chemical. Partial agonist fits somewhat into receptor. Antagonist directly blocks receptor but doesn"t fit. All of this come with a crap ton of side effects. Synthetic opiates are likely to lead to overdose. Combine heroin and fentanyl so people think they are using normal amount of heroin but are actually using a much more potent amount.
