PSYC62H3 Chapter Notes - Chapter 7: Malnutrition, Sympathomimetic Drug, Catechol-O-Methyl Transferase
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Psychomotor stimulants: at low to moderate doses, these drugs produce motor stimulation, reduce fatigue, increase resistance to sleep, increase vigilance, and alertness, and induce a heightened mood (euphoria) or anxiety. Inverted u-shaped dose-response relationships --> increases performance up to a certain level and then reduces it with increases in dosage. Some other psychostimulants: nicotine, amphetamines, cocaine, several da agonists. Rate dependent effects: the effect of the drug depends upon the baseline rate of response generated by the schedule: high rates of lever pressing (i. e. drug seeking ) under low response rate of schedules (i. e Fixed interval schedule: lower rates of lever pressing under high baseline rates of response (i. e. fixed ratio schedule) Induce stereotypy (focused and repetitive behavior continued for extended periods of time) Neurobiology: da system critical for motor effects, double dissociation effect. Two distinct brain areas mediate two different behaviors and the effect of these areas can dissociate this effect.
