Problem 2 After every party I die

Question 1

Cocaine

Answer 1

o Constricts the blood vessels in the heart, which can cause heart attacks, seizures, pulmonary oedema (fluid in the lungs) or can rupture the aorta
o can lead to psychosis
o Neuro: blocks dopamine reuptake in the brain, stimulates production of neurotransmitter
 Can lead to decreased number of dopamine receptors what makes life less enjoyable without the drug

Question 2

Mephedrone

Answer 2

o 4-methylmethcathinone
o Synthetic version of the active component of khat
o Similar to amphetamine

Question 3

Neurotransmitter Mephedrone

Answer 3

dopamine, noradrenalin and serotonin

 Inhibits reuptake of these neurotransmitter

Question 4

Effects of Mephedrone

Answer 4

Its subjective effects seem to be partway between ecstasy and cocaine – users say it increases their self-confidence and makes them more talkative (like cocaine), but also report feeling a greater sense of openness, appreciation of music and desire to dance, (similar to ecstasy)
 Chemically it a mixture between MDMA and (meth)amphetamine
 Relatively short and mild negative effects
 Does not causes long term depression of neurotransmitters

Question 5

Ritalin

Answer 5

o Dopamine reuptake inhibitor (blocking around 50% of dopamine transporters)
o It is not addictive if its taken in pills and doesn’t produces a high if it is used like prescribed

Question 6

Chewing

Answer 6

o slowest route into the brain
o peaking after 1-2 hours after chewing begins
o harm: can develop tooth, gum and jaw problems

Question 7

Drinking and eating

Answer 7

o Takes effect after ca. 30 minutes

o Delay makes it more complicated to choose the right dose

Question 8

Rubbing

Answer 8

o Gums, eyelids and genitals
o Effective in 15-30 minutes
o Can cause infections ad necrosis
o Harm: if frequently rubbed into gums, the teeth can start to fall out because of cutted blood supply

Question 9

Snorting

Answer 9

o Hits the brain in 3-5 minutes

o Harm: compulsive snorters can seriously damage their noses

Question 10

shooting

Answer 10

o In veins: 10-20 seconds In muscle: 3-5 minutes
o Harm: skin and other bacterial infections, viruses such as hepatitis and HIV, and also thrombosis and the risk of sudden death

Question 11

Smoking

Answer 11

o Hitting the brain in 10-20 seconds

o Harm: can cause respiratory problems such as asthma and emphysema

Question 12

Inhaling

Answer 12

o Reach the brain within seconds and the heart even faster than that.
o Harms: can cause sudden death and breathing failure

Question 13

Problem of NPS

Answer 13

• the longterm effects are widely unknown

Question 14

NPS

Answer 14

are compounds designed to mimic existing and established recreational drugs such as “ecstasy” (MDMA) and cannabis

Question 15

Stimulant NPS

Answer 15

o release dopamine and/or serotonin an/or noradrenalin

o can trigger the serotonin syndrome

Question 16

Cannabinoid NPS

Answer 16

o are full agonists cannabinoid receptors
o lack of cannabidiol which dampens some effects of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)(active substance in weed)
o Are more difficult to dose
o can cause: as confusion and cognitive impairment, slurred speech, and excessive sweating, as well as symptoms of stimulant toxicity (hypertension, tachycardia), pulmonary damage, myocardial infarction, seizures, and stroke

Question 17

Dissociative NPS (Psychedelic)

Answer 17

o Hallucinations
o Produce a feeling of an absence tie, weightlessness and disconnection from the physical body
o Primarily act as an uncompetitive antagonist at glutamate receptors NDMA, but also bind at opioid receptors and monoaminergic receptors.
o Less addictive than ketamine
o can cause: nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea; cardiovascular problems of arrhythmias and blackouts severe ulcerative cystitis and renal damage

Question 18

Psychedelics

Answer 18

o Visuals

o No longterm health impairments or addiction

Question 19

Depressants

Answer 19

o Mimic benzos and opioid quite good
o Positive modulators of GABA receptors (enhances GABA)
o They last longer as well as the withdraw and negative symptoms

Question 20

Ritalin and ADHD

Answer 20

• Because people suffering under ADHD produce only week dopamine signals ,in effect their attention circuit is underfed, at the same time a random distracting neuron is firing
• Ritalin flips the relationship, upping the signal and reducing the firing of the random neuron

Question 21

Kinetics

Answer 21

involves the route of use, which largely determines the speed of onset, how quickly a drug takes effect, and the speed of offset, how quickly it wears off. Both faster onset and faster offset tend to increase the addictiveness of a drug
o What the body does to the drug

Question 22

Transporter internalization

Answer 22

When there is an increase in synaptic concentration, the cell is protected against excess accumulation by rapid internalization of the transporter. As soon as the extracellular level of monoamine is lowered, the transporter returns to the membrane.