Question 1

Amphetamines have been medically prescribed for narcolepsy and weight loss but have largely been replaced with alternative drugs because

Accepted Answer

Amphetamines have high potential for abuse, leading to addiction and other negative effects on the user's health. This risk outweighs the potential benefits for medical use, and alternative drugs with lower abuse potential have been developed and are now used instead.

Question 2

What is the limitation of cross-sectional studies that show that people with methamphetamine addiction have problems with impulse control, memory, verbal learning, and social cognition compared with healthy individuals?

Accepted Answer

Cross-sectional studies cannot determine whether the deficits in impulse control, memory, verbal learning, and social cognition seen in people with methamphetamine addiction were pre-existing before the addiction or are a result of the drug use. Longitudinal studies that follow individuals before and after addiction or use of the drug are necessary to determine causation.

Question 3

Compared to opioid and alcohol withdrawal, methamphetamine withdrawal symptoms are _______ severe and the drive to obtain more drug is due its _______ effects.

Accepted Answer

Methamphetamine withdrawal symptoms are generally less severe compared to opioid and alcohol withdrawal. The drive to obtain more of the drug is primarily due to its positive reinforcing effects, which include feelings of euphoria, increased energy, and heightened alertness.

Question 4

Approximately _______ of individuals who develop methamphetamine use disorder experience at least one psychotic reaction.

Accepted Answer

Approximately 30% to 40% of individuals who develop methamphetamine use disorder experience at least one psychotic reaction, highlighting the significant impact of methamphetamine on mental health.

Question 5

The precondition of _______ would make heavy amphetamine use particularly dangerous.

Accepted Answer

Atherosclerosis is a cardiovascular disease characterized by the build-up of plaque in the arteries, which can lead to decreased blood flow and oxygen delivery to vital organs. Heavy amphetamine use can further increase blood pressure and heart rate, putting individuals with existing atherosclerosis at risk for heart attack, stroke, or other cardiovascular complications. The other preconditions listed do not necessarily have a direct interaction with amphetamine use.

Question 6

Therapeutic doses of methylphenidate _______ DATs in the striatum and NETs in the frontal cortex, thereby _______ the level of both DA and NE in the extracelluar fluid.

Accepted Answer

Therapeutic doses of methylphenidate (Ritalin) block the reuptake of dopamine transporters (DATs) in the striatum and norepinephrine transporters (NETs) in the frontal cortex, thereby increasing the levels of both dopamine (DA) and norepinephrine (NE) in the extracellular fluid. This is why methylphenidate is classified as a dopamine/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (DNRI).

Question 7

Which statement concerning the drugs used to treat ADHD is true?

Accepted Answer

Most drugs used to treat ADHD affect dopamine, but Strattera affects norepinephrine. Options A, B, and D are all false as these medications do have adverse side effects, affect both children and adults, and have abuse potential.

Question 8

How is it thought that guanfacine and α2A adrenoceptor agonist drugs enhance cognitive function?

Accepted Answer

It is thought that guanfacine and α2A adrenoceptor agonist drugs enhance cognitive function by increasing norepinephrine levels, which can improve attention and working memory.

Question 9

Some researchers have hypothesized that optimal prefrontal cortical (PFC) functioning and cognitive performance occur with _______ activation of _______ adrenergic receptors and _______ DA receptors in the PFC.

Accepted Answer

Optimal prefrontal cortical functioning and cognitive performance are hypothesized to occur with moderate activation of α2 adrenergic receptors and D1 DA receptors in the PFC.

Question 10

Modafinil is primarily used therapeutically for the treatment of

Accepted Answer

Modafinil is approved by the FDA for the treatment of narcolepsy, a disorder characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness and sudden, uncontrollable attacks of sleep. While it may be used off-label for other conditions such as ADHD and depression, its primary therapeutic use is for narcolepsy.

Question 11

Mephedrone, methylone, MDPV, and α-PVP are all members of the class of

Accepted Answer

Mephedrone, methylone, MDPV, and α-PVP are all synthetic cathinones, which are a class of designer drugs that mimic the effects of cathinone, a naturally occurring stimulant found in the khat plant.

Question 12

Synthetic cathinones have _______ effects as other psychostimulants, and users tend to be _______ in the _______ age range.

Accepted Answer

Synthetic cathinones have similar effects as other psychostimulants, such as increased energy, euphoria, and alertness. Research has shown that users of synthetic cathinones tend to be mostly men in the age range of 18 to 35.

Question 13

In experiments on rats, how did binging on self-administered of MDPV affect the rats' brains?

Accepted Answer

Binging on self-administered MDPV in rats showed evidence of neurodegeneration specifically in the perirhinal and entorhinal cortical areas.

Question 14

Describe the historical use of cocaine in its natural form (chewing leaves), in beverages, and as treatments for various ailments. How did cocaine use change in the twentieth century?

Accepted Answer

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Question 15

How is it thought to be possible for cocaine and amphetamine to increase extracellular DA in the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) in knockout mice lacking the DA transporter?

Accepted Answer

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Question 16

Identify the various routes of administration for cocaine. Which routes of administration yield the most rapid absorption of cocaine? Identify two metabolites of cocaine use; one found after use of cocaine alone and the other found after using a combination cocaine and alcohol.

Accepted Answer

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Question 17

Describe the effects of cocaine at the synapse in detail. What specific effects are most important for cocaine's reinforcing and addictive characteristics? What effects of cocaine are responsible for its action as a local anesthetic?

Accepted Answer

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Question 18

List several effects of cocaine that occur at low to moderate doses. Which of these effects are considered to be part of the cocaine "high"? Identify several aversive effects that occur in high dose users.

Accepted Answer

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Question 19

According to imaging studies of human brains, which three factors influence the occurrence and intensity of a cocaine or methylphenidate "high"?

Accepted Answer

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Question 20

Which dopamine receptor subtype is most important for the functional effects of psychostimulants? What is the evidence for this conclusion?

Accepted Answer

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Quiz 12: Psychomotor Stimulants: Cocaine, Amphetamine, and Related Drugs