PSYC314 Study Guide - Fall 2018, Comprehensive Midterm Notes - Protein, Neurotransmitter, Neuron
12 Oct 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
PSYC314
MIDTERM EXAM
STUDY GUIDE
Fall 2018
Principles of Psychopharmacology
● What is a drug?
○ Exogenous chemical
○ Alters functions of certain cells
● Drug effects:
○ Changes drug produces in an animal’s physiological processes and behavior •
● Site of action:
○ Locations at which molecules of drugs interact with molecules located on or in
cells of body, thus affecting some biochemical processes of these cells
Pharmacokinetics
● Movements of drugs, including process by which drugs are:
○ Absorption: Drug is administered and absorbed through tissue
○ Distribution: Drug travels throughout the body and blood stream
○ Metabolized: Drug is changed to an inactive form (usually by the liver enzymes)
○ Excretion: Drug is excreted by kidneys
I. Absorption: Routes of Administration
A. Direct routes to the brain
1. Intracerebral (directly into brain)
2. Intracerebroventricular (ICV) (into ventricles)
B. Quick peripheral routes
1. Intravenous (IV) Injection (bloodstream through veins)
2. Inhalation (lungs) smoking
3. Insufflation (nasal mucosa) cocaine
4. Intraperitoneal (IP) Injection (abdominal cavity)
C. Slower peripheral routes –
1. Intramuscular (IM) Injection –
2. Subcutaneous (SC) Injection –
3. Oral Administration –
4. Sublingual Administration –
5. Intrarectal Administration –
6. Topical Administration
II. Distribution:
A. The most important factor that determines the rate at which a drug in the
bloodstream reaches sites of action within the brain is lipid solubility. •
1. Lipid Solubility – ease with which drug molecules are soluble in fat •
B. The blood–brain barrier is a barrier only for water-soluble molecules. •
C. Molecules that are soluble in lipids pass through the cells that line the capillaries
in the central nervous system, and they rapidly distribute themselves throughout
the brain
III. Metabolism: Enzymes deactivate drugs (e.g., liver)
IV. Excretion: Drugs are eventually excreted (e.g., kidneys)
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
How can we assess drug effectiveness? •
● Dose-Response Curve – Graph of magnitude of effect of drug as function of the amount
of drug administered •
● Therapeutic Index –
○ Ratio between dose that produces desired effect in 50% of animals and dose that
produces toxic effects in 50% of animals
■ 12mg/kg produces the desired effects in 50%
■ 60mg/kg produces toxic effects on 50%
■ Therapeutic index would be 5.0 (12:60) •
● Why do drugs vary in their effectiveness? –
○ Affinity:Readiness with which two molecules join together –
○ Different sites of action
Drug Administration •
● Repeated Administration can result in:
○ Tolerance
○ Sensitization
○ Withdrawal
● What are Placebo drugs?
○ inactive substance
○ Used as control group in research
● What can cause a placebo effect?
○ External factors
○ Expectations and motivations
○ Learning such as classical conditioning
Drug Binding categories •
● Agonist –
○ facilitate postsynaptic effects –
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Changes drug produces in an animal"s physiological processes and behavior . Site of action: cells of body, thus affecting some biochemical processes of these cells. Movements of drugs, including process by which drugs are: Absorption: drug is administered and absorbed through tissue. Distribution: drug travels throughout the body and blood stream. Metabolized: drug is changed to an inactive form (usually by the liver enzymes) Intracerebroventricular (icv) (into ventricles: quick peripheral routes. 1: subcutaneous (sc) injection , oral administration , sublingual administration . 5: topical administration, slower peripheral routes . Dose-response curve graph of magnitude of effect of drug as function of the amount of drug administered . Ratio between dose that produces desired effect in 50% of animals and dose that produces toxic effects in 50% of animals. 12mg/kg produces the desired effects in 50% Why do drugs vary in their effectiveness? . Affinity:readiness with which two molecules join together . Facilitate or inhibit postsynaptic receptor activity .
