Deck 15: Hallucinogens, Pcp, and Ketamine

Question 1

Which of the following is not a characteristic that all hallucinogenic drugs have in common?

A) They are sometimes taken for spiritual and mystical experiences.
B) They can cause cognitive distortions.
C) They produce novel perceptual experiences.
D) They produce a state of delirium.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Mescaline

A) is an alkaloid obtained from various species of mushrooms.
B) has been used for years by Native Americans for religious and healing rituals.
C) is one of the more popular and readily available hallucinogenic drugs.
D) is a synthetic hallucinogen derived from ergot, a fungus that can infest grain.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Ayahuasca

A) is a snuff made from South American plants that contains ergot.
B) is a preparation that contains AMT and 5-MeO-DMT.
C) means "food for the gods" and comes from the peyote cactus.
D) is a drink that contains DMT and $\beta$ -carbolines.

Answer 3

is a drink that contains DMT and $\beta$ -carbolines.

Question 4

Hofmann's first LSD exposures

A) were universally positive experiences.
B) can be characterized as intense perceptual experiences.
C) had residual effects that lasted for several days after the drug wore off.
D) did not include hallucinations because the dose was so small.

Question 5

The most common route of administration for LSD is

A) smoking.
B) injection.
C) topical.
D) oral.

Question 6

Most hallucinogens resemble either _______ or _______ in their chemical structure.

A) phenethylamines; indoleamines
B) indoleamines; carbolines
C) carbolines; phenethylamines
D) phenethylamines; acetylcholine

Question 7

What is the mechanism of action psychedelic mushrooms?

A) After ingestion, psilocybin is converted to psilocin, which is the psychoactive agent.
B) Mescaline is extracted from the mushrooms and consumed as a powder that contains the psychoactive agent.
C) β-carbolines in the mushrooms block DMT breakdown in the liver so the DMT reaches the brain and produces psychedelic effects.
D) The psychoactive substance, salvinorin A, is released when the mushrooms are eaten.

Question 8

How is the neurochemical mechanism of action ibogaine similar to that of salvinorin A?

A) Both bind to µ-opioid receptors where they exert partial antagonist activity.
B) Both bind to κ-opioid receptors where they exert partial agonist activity.
C) Both bind to 5-HT_2A receptors where they exert partial antagonist activity.
D) Both bind to 5-HT_2A receptors where they exert partial agonist activity.

Question 9

Which of the following provided evidence that the synthetic psychedelic 25I-NBOMe has high potency?

A) The dose-response function for the drug to elicit the head-twitch response in mice.
B) Subcutaneous injection levels for the drug to produce complete sedation in humans.
C) Oral administration route for the drug to produce psychotic reactions in mice.
D) Inability of mice to navigate a simple maze after receiving very low doses of the drug.

Question 10

What is responsible for the unusually long length of an LSD "trip"?

A) After receptor binding, a lid-like structure formed from the receptor protein temporarily traps the drug in the binding pocket.
B) The subjective feelings of the "trip" last long after the drug has worn off due to memory effects.
C) The receptor binding process slows down such that the drug effects last longer than usual.
D) The drug's potency combined with its slow metabolism results in a long "trip."

Question 11

Salvia differs from other psychedelic drugs in that

A) its active ingredient is inactivated in the gastrointestinal tract.
B) it produces vivid hallucinations.
C) it alters perceptual processes.
D) it is entirely legal.

Question 12

Of the following psychedelics, the one with the shortest duration of action is

A) LSD.
B) psilocybin.
C) mescaline.
D) DMT.

Question 13

The least potent psychedelic is

A) DMT.
B) Salvinorin A.
C) mescaline.
D) LSD.

Question 14

In subjects given psilocybin, psychedelic intensity ratings _______ with a corresponding _______ in neocortical 5-HT_2A receptor occupancy.

A) decrease; decrease
B) increase; increase
C) stay the same; increase
D) stay the same; increase

Question 15

Research on the synaptic effects of LSD has shown all of the following except

A) that it binds with high affinity to eight different receptor subtypes.
B) that the 5-HT_2A receptor appears to play a crucial role in drug-induced hallucinations.
C) that D₂ dopamine receptors are responsible for the behavioral effects of LSD in animal models.
D) that the intensity of psilocybin's subjective effects is positively correlated with 5-HT_2A receptor occupancy.

Question 16

Which hallucinogenic drug primarily affects norepinephrine at the synapse?

A) LSD
B) Psilocybin
C) Mescaline
D) Salvinorin A

Question 17

Unlike other hallucinogens, salvinorin A is

A) a μ-opioid receptor agonist.
B) a κ-opioid receptor agonist.
C) a κ-opioid receptor antagonist.
D) a μ-opioid receptor agonist and a κ-opioid receptor antagonist.

Question 18

LSD, psilocybin, and ayahuasca all have been shown to reduce activity in the _______, suggesting that this is a common feature of psychedelic drugs that act through _______ receptor stimulation (thereby producing the drug experience).

A) prefrontal cortex; κ-opioid
B) prefrontal cortex; µ-opioid
C) default mode network (DMN); 5-HT_2A
D) default mode network (DMN); D₂

Question 19

Hofmann and the Sandoz pharmaceutical company were initially studying LSD-25

A) because they were interested in developing new analeptic drugs.
B) to understand the cause of ergotism.
C) as preventative of premature labor in pregnant women.
D) because they were interested in the role of various compounds in schizophrenia.

Question 20

Researchers have considered LSD as a possible tool for all of the following research approaches or treatment programs except

A) as a model for schizophrenia.
B) psycholytic therapy.
C) psychedelic therapy.
D) treatment of anxiety and mood disorders.

Question 21

Which experiences characterize the onset of the LSD "trip"?

A) Feelings of depersonalization
B) Synesthesia
C) Sensations of colors and geometric shapes
D) Suspension of time sense

Question 22

Someone who has taken LSD is describing the color blue as a loud sound and the sounds of cars passing by as menacing. This synesthesia is characteristic of the _______ phase of an LSD trip.

A) onset
B) plateau
C) peak
D) comedown

Question 23

Why is it impossible to predict whether a user of hallucinogens will have a "good trip" or a "bad trip"?

A) The drug effects depend very much on the user's expectations and past experiences with hallucinogens.
B) The hallucinogens as a class are very unpredictable and unstable in their effects on the human nervous system.
C) The hallucinogens have received virtually no clinical study in humans due to the heavy governmental restrictions on their use.
D) The physiological side effects of the hallucinogens are so dramatic that they make the "good" and "bad" effects difficult to sort out.

Question 24

Hallucinogenic drugs are not considered to be addictive in the "classic sense" of the word because

A) people who use these drugs generally do not experience craving, dependence, or withdrawal.
B) users rarely experience adverse effects from the drug experience.
C) people simply don't take these drugs often enough to get addicted to them.
D) the high potency and danger of the drugs cause people to take them more cautiously, preventing habitual use.

Question 25

Flashbacks that occur after taking psychedelic drugs

A) frequently turn into persistent psychotic episodes.
B) occasionally develop into a serious and chronic condition called hallucinogen persisting perception disorder (HPPD).
C) are generally very distressing to the person experiencing them.
D) may not be distressing but tend to last for several days.

Question 26

The psychedelic drug _______ has been shown to have efficacy in treating _______.

A) salvinorin A; PTSD
B) LSD; depression
C) DMT; anxiety disorders
D) ibogaine; drug addiction

Question 27

Which is the most severe adverse reaction to LSD?

A) Flashbacks
B) Elevated heart rate
C) Frightening hallucinations
D) A psychotic episode

Question 28

Psychedelics may have potential in the treatment of depression and anxiety due to which of their effects?

A) Improved mood related to higher levels of endorphins released by the drugs.
B) Increases in binding receptor occupancy with higher doses of the drugs.
C) Glutamate-related neural plasticity, resulting rapid structural and functional changes in the brain.
D) The dissociative experience that reduces immediate feelings of depression and anxiety.

Question 29

MK-ULTRA was a

A) top secret program to control drug use and traffic.
B) CIA program to test the effects of LSD on the behavioral reactions, with the goal of using it to "attack" foreign enemies.
C) CIA program to record the drug-taking habits of world leaders.
D) CIA program to control the drug development agencies.

Question 30

What can be said about the status of hallucinogenic drugs today?

A) They remain as popular today as they were in the 1960s.
B) They were banned in 1967 and as a result have almost completely disappeared today.
C) There has been a renewal of interest in these drugs, in part due to clinical research that has been sponsored by the organization MAPS (Multidisciplinary Association for
Psychedelic Studies).
D) Many psychiatrists and psychologists are now interested in utilizing these drugs in their practices due to a positive shift in government attitudes and policies.

Question 31

Like _______, Salvia was historically used in religious rituals by Mazatec shamans.

A) mescaline
B) LSD
C) psilocybin
D) DMT

Question 32

Which statement regarding the drug PCP, or phencyclidine, is false?

A) It was first tested by a pharmaceutical company as a possible anesthetic agent.
B) It causes a trance-like state in which the subject is highly responsive to pain.
C) It has a high therapeutic index as it does not cause respiratory depression.
D) It is not clinically useful because of side effects of agitation, hallucinations, and violence.

Question 33

Why did Parke-Davis and Company develop ketamine in addition to PCP?

A) PCP did not work as effectively as an anesthetic as the researchers had hoped.
B) Researchers discovered that PCP caused hallucinations, whereas ketamine never caused these adverse reactions.
C) The drug company developed ketamine for use in humans and reserved PCP for use in veterinary practice.
D) Ketamine was similar to PCP but safer, less potent and shorter-acting.

Question 34

PCP and ketamine act on the postsynaptic cell by

A) blocking the NMDA receptor at the glutamate site.
B) stimulating the receptor where NMDA normally binds.
C) acting as a competitive antagonist at the NMDA receptor.
D) acting as an uncompetitive antagonist at the NMDA receptor.

Question 35

A secondary consequence of NMDA receptor antagonism is _______ presynaptic glutamate release, which may result from preferential _______ of receptors on inhibitory GABAergic interneurons that innervate the cortical pyramidal neurons.

A) decreased; blockade
B) decreased; opening
C) increased; blockade
D) increased; opening

Question 36

Which hypothesis was developed after it was shown that the effects of high doses of ketamine are similar to symptoms of schizophrenia?

A) A major factor in schizophrenia is hypoactivity of the glutamatergic system, particularly NMDA receptor signaling.
B) A major factor in schizophrenia is 5-HT_2A receptor down-regulation.
C) A major factor in schizophrenia is hypoactivity of the serotonergic system due to 5-HT inhibition.
D) A major factor in schizophrenia is decreased dopaminergic transmission in the prefrontal cortex.

Question 37

Research has shown that human subjects receiving high doses of ketamine over the long term may develop symptoms similar to those of

A) anxiety.
B) depression.
C) schizophrenia.
D) Parkinson's disease.

Question 38

Studies involving chronic PCP or ketamine administration to non-human primates and rodents have demonstrated all of the following neurobiological changes except

A) increased NMDA receptor binding in the prefrontal cortex.
B) a reduction in tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity in the prefrontal cortex.
C) neuronal cell death in the prefrontal cortex.
D) a reduction in excitatory glutamatergic synapses in the prefrontal cortex.

Question 39

All of the following are subjective experiences reported by individuals after taking low doses of PCP except

A) apathy and loneliness.
B) expansion of abstract thinking.
C) sensations of vertigo or floating.
D) cognitive disorganization.

Question 40

At moderate (anesthetic level) PCP or ketamine doses, individuals may experience

A) flashbacks.
B) dissociative anesthesia.
C) HPPD.
D) synesthesia.

Question 41

Which of the following would you expect to observe in an individual experiencing a state of dissociated anesthesia?

A) Loss of muscle tone
B) Closed eyes
C) Detachment from environment
D) Relaxed unconsciousness

Question 42

When individuals are in the ketamine-induced dissociated state, they report all of the following except

A) feeling "at one" with the universe.
B) the sense that time is moving at high speed.
C) sensations of leaving the physical body.
D) visions of spiritual or supernatural beings.

Question 43

Self-administration studies in animals have shown that

A) both PCP and ketamine are highly reinforcing for several species.
B) PCP and ketamine are only moderately rewarding for the species tested.
C) the reward effects of PCP and ketamine are unique and not dependent upon dopamine.
D) PCP's reward effects are dopamine-dependent, while ketamine's effects are dopamine-independent.

Question 44

Which statement about the use and abuse of ketamine is false?

A) Ketamine's popularity can be explained by the fact that the drug does not cause dependence.
B) Many abusers of ketamine are medical or veterinary practitioners.
C) A number of intellectuals experimented with ketamine as a mind-expanding drug, similar to LSD.
D) Ketamine's use is popular events such as raves but it is difficult to track in this use.

Question 45

Which statement about dextromethorphan is false?

A) It is an ingredient in antitussive medications.
B) It is a uncompetitive NMDA receptor antagonist.
C) It is abused on the street as "Red Devils," "Triple C's," "Skittles," or "Robo."
D) It affects opiate receptors directly, like codeine.

Question 46

Which statement about dextromethorphan abuse is false?

A) It generally involves consuming large amounts of cough syrup or many cold tablets.
B) It has generated street sources of dextromethorphan that are repackaged as pills or powder for smoking.
C) At high doses it can cause ataxia and delusions.
D) While potentially troubling, it isn't actually dangerous since the drug is available over the counter.

Question 47

Which of the following is not a method that PCP or ketamine is typically administered?

A) Orally
B) Transdermally
C) By inhalation or smoking
D) Intramuscularly

Question 48

Identify common characteristics of hallucinogenic drugs. Name two hallucinogenic drugs that come from nature and describe the importance of each drug in the history of a people or culture.

Question 49

Describe the proposed series of cellular events that occur after taking a psychedelic drug that produces a psychedelic experience, or "trip."

Question 50

Explain the difference between indoleamine and phenethylamine hallucinogens. Give an example of each. What receptors do these hallucinogens act on? How does salvinorin A fit into the hallucinogen family?

Question 51

Describe the discovery of LSD by Hofmann and its subsequent applications in research, therapy, and government projects. Where does LSD stand today as a clinical tool?

Question 52

Describe the typical stages of an LSD "trip," including onset and duration.

Question 53

Describe the following possible adverse reactions to hallucinogenic drug use: a "bad trip," flashbacks, and HPPD. What is the most severe adverse reaction to LSD use?

Question 54

Distinguish between PCP and ketamine in terms of their pharmaceutical development, safety, and effects. Are these drugs used recreationally?

Question 55

Describe the subjective and behavioral effects of low-dose PCP. What happens when subjects are given higher doses? List several experiences reported by ketamine users while in the dissociated state (some associated with the K-hole).

Question 56

Where do PCP and ketamine exert their effects at the synapse? How might this relate to some of the cognitive changes that occur in the drug state?

Question 57

Using data from animal studies and reports from human users, determine the reward value of PCP and ketamine. In other words, how much do people and animals like these drugs, and how do we know?

Question 58

What makes certain types of cough syrup and cold tablets attractive to individuals looking for a PCP-like drug experience? Identify the active ingredient in this process and explain how it works in the nervous system.