Deck 4: Neurochemistry, Neuropsychopharmacology, and Drug Addiction

Question 1

Chronic methamphetamine use leads to________ in the brain.

A) increased dopamine synaptic endings
B) increased dopamine levels
C) increases in a specific dopamine receptor subtype
D) decreased dopamine levels and synaptic endings

Answer 1

D

Question 2

When they stop taking the drug, methamphetamine users demonstrate ________.

A) improved impulse control
B) impaired response inhibition
C) improved decision making.
D) All of the above options are correct.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Withdrawal symptoms from chronic methamphetamine use include ________.

A) dreamless sleep
B) hyperactivity
C) agitation.
D) heightened focus and concentration

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Enzymatic deactivation of a neurotransmitter involves which of the following processes?

A) The neurotransmitter is broken down by enzymes.
B) The neurotransmitter is repackaged presynaptically.
C) The neurotransmitter is repackaged postsynaptically.
D) The neurotransmitter drifts away is degraded by glia

Question 5

Serotonin is synthesized from ________.

A) phenylalanine
B) tryptophan
C) glutamate
D) acetyl coenzyme A and choline

Question 6

GABA is synthesized from ________.

A) phenylalanine
B) typtophan
C) glutamate
D) acetyl coenzyme A and choline

Question 7

Acetylcholine is synthesized from ________.

A) phenylalanine
B) typtophan
C) glutamate
D) acetyl coenzyme A and choline

Question 8

Oxytocin is involved in __________.

A) pain
B) reward
C) social relationships
D) addiction

Question 9

In some cases GABA agonists can act as __________________.

A) stimulants
B) hallucinogens
C) facilitator of social relationships
D) regulators of body fluids

Question 10

_________________ is an endocannabinoid.

A) Anandamide
B) Acetylcholine
C) Vasopressin
D) Alcohol

Question 11

_________________ are a neuroactive lipids.

A) Catecholamines
B) Indolamines
C) Endorphins
D) Endocannabinoids

Question 12

Which of the following are gaseous neurotransmitters?

A) Pilocarpine.
B) Nitric oxide.
C) Nitrous oxide.
D) Muscimol.

Question 13

_______ are released by postsynaptic neurons to the axons of presynaptic neurons, where they affect relevant receptors.

A) Anterograde neurotransmitters
B) Retrograde neurotransmitters
C) Reverse neurotransmitters
D) Upstream neurotransmitters

Question 14

A goal of _______ is to identify drugs that interact with the nervous system to alter behavior that has been disrupted by disease, injury, or environmental factors.

A) neuropsychology
B) neuropsychopharmacology
C) pharmacodynamics
D) pharmacokinetics

Question 15

In double blind studies _______ do not know if an injection contains a drug or a placebo.

A) only the patients receiving placebo
B) patients receiving drug or placebo
C) only the patients receiving the drug
D) both the patients and researchers

Question 16

Which of the following is not a purely pharmacokinetic issue?

A) Absorption.
B) Dose-response curve.
C) Inactivation.
D) Excretion.

Question 17

Pharmacological research focusing on cognitive enhancement has targeted the ____________ receptor.

A) GABA
B) Acetylcholine
C) Adenosine
D) AMPA

Question 18

____________ is considered a "designer" drug.

A) MDMA
B) AMPA
C) Methamphetamine
D) NMDA

Question 19

Approximately ______ of college students are heavy drinkers.

A) 40%
B) 30%
C) 20%
D) 10%

Question 20

Sedative drugs such as __________ enhance the effects of GABA.

A) pilocarpine
B) benzodiazepines
C) scopolamine
D) nicotine

Question 21

The first endogenous activator of opioid receptors discovered was ______________.

A) anandamide
B) oxytocin
C) enkephalin
D) vasopressin

Question 22

The blurring of the boundaries among senses, e.g., seeing music, is called ______________.

A) synesthesia
B) hallucination
C) illusion
D) delusion

Question 23

In one study, teen-age suicide victims showed a higher density of ________ receptors in the prefrontal cortex compared with healthy control subjects.

A) GABA_A.
B) 5-HT_2A
C) AMPA.
D) NMDA.

Question 24

________ is a rare vascular condition characterized by inflammation and blockage of blood vessels in the hands and feet that is triggered by smoking cigarettes.

A) Reynaud's syndrome
B) Peripheral artery disease
C) Brandon's disease
D) Buerger's disease

Question 25

The need for the drug to maintain physiological functions is called ______________.

A) drug dependence
B) pharmacodynamic tolerance
C) behavioral tolerance.
D) drug sensitivity.

Question 26

The recurrence of drug use following a period of abstinence is called ______________.

A) relapse
B) recidivism
C) retrograde use
D) reexposure

Question 27

Dopaminergic activity in the ______________ are involved in the early rewarding experiences associated with abused drugs.

A) nucleus accumbens, substantia nigra, and central amygdala.
B) insula, ventral pallidum, and and central amygdala.
C) insula, ventral pallidum, and hypothalamus.
D) nucleus accumbens, ventral pallidum, and central amygdala.

Question 28

Researchers have found a neuroanatomical system known as the ______________ to be activated during the negative emotional states accompanying withdrawal.

A) limbic system
B) nigrostriatal pathway
C) extended amygdala
D) reticular activating system.

Question 29

Relapse resulting from drug-related cues is localized to the ______________.

A) nucleus accumbens, ventral pallidum, and central amygdala.
B) medial prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens, and ventral pallidum.
C) medial prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens, and insula
D) extended amygdala.

Question 30

The role of acute stress in drug relapse may be mediated by ______________.

A) corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST)
B) corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and the amygdala.
C) AMPA and the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST)
D) corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and the ventral pallidum.

Question 31

___________ blocks the stress-induced relapse in cases of both cocaine and heroin abuse.

A) A norepinephrine receptor antagonist.
B) A dopamine receptor agonist.
C) A dopamine receptor antagonist.
D) A norepinephrine receptor agonist.

Question 32

The relapse rates for drug addiction are___________ those for other diseases that are influenced by both physiological and behavioral components.

A) worse than
B) much worse than
C) similar to
D) better than

Question 33

The concept of a nicotine vaccine involves ___________.

A) Activating the brain's microglia to attack and devour nicotine
B) binding nicotine with an antibody so it cannot cross the blood-brain barrier
C) creating an allergic response to nicotine so unpleasant that smokers quit smoking
D) None of the above options are correct.

Question 34

Compared to mice raised in standard environments, mice raised in enriched environments display ___________ in response to cocaine.

A) greater levels of anhedonia
B) increased levels of spontaneous aggression
C) more behavioral sensitization
D) less behavioral sensitization

Question 35

The negative emotional effects accompanying withdrawal in animal models can be treated with a ___________.

A) nicotinic acetylcholine agonist
B) muscarinic acetylcholine agonist
C) partial dopamine agonist
D) partial dopamine antagonist

Question 36

Decreased activity in the brain's reward center during withdrawal can lead to a lack of pleasure called ___________.

A) anhedonia
B) antagonism
C) relapse
D) Buerger's disease

Question 37

The ________________ likely controls drug intake while controlled drug use is taking place.

A) amygdala
B) prefrontal cortex
C) striatum
D) medulla oblongata

Question 38

The ________________ likely controls drug intake once addiction has taken place.

A) amygdala
B) prefrontal cortex
C) Striatum
D) medulla oblongata

Question 39

If a heroin user accidently overdoses when taking a much, much larger dose of heroin than they usually take, this could be explained by a lack of ___________.

A) behavioral sensitization
B) behavioral tolerance
C) psychodynamic tolerance
D) pharmacodynamic tolerance

Question 40

If a heroin user accidently overdoses when taking heroin in an environment different from where they normally use the drug, this could be explained by ___________.

A) behavioral sensitization
B) behavioral tolerance
C) psychodynamic tolerance
D) pharmacodynamic tolerance

Question 41

Though drug addiction involves many neurotransmitters which of the following is considered part of a common neural pathway for most drugs of addiction?

A) Serotonin projections from the raphe nuclei .
B) Dopamine projections from the substantia nigra.
C) Norepinephrine projections from the locus coeruleus.
D) Dopamine projections from the ventral tegmental area.

Question 42

Cannabinoid receptors regulate the release of other neurotransmitters by ___________.

A) presynaptic facilitiation
B) presynaptic inhibition
C) postsynaptic facilitiation
D) postsynaptic inhibition.

Question 43

The perceptual distortions resulting from the administration of LSD are likely due to the activation of which of the following receptor subtypes?

A) 5-HT_2A
B) GABA
C) Nicotinic acetylcholine
D) Muscarinic acetylcholine

Question 44

The irritability seen in alcoholics during withdrawal is likely related to ___________.

A) a compensatory increase in cortical NMDA receptors
B) a compensatory increase in cortical AMPA receptors
C) a compensatory decrease in cortical NMDA receptors
D) a compensatory decrease in cortical AMDA receptors

Question 45

The effects of cocaine can be distinguished from those of amphetamine because ___________.

A) Amphetamine reduces the release of dopamine from presynaptic neurons.
B) Amphetamine enhances the release of dopamine from presynaptic neurons.
C) Cocaine is prescribed medically for a range of conditions from fatigue and depression to narcolepsy.
D) Cocaine, but not amphetamine, also blocks enzymatic deactivation of dopamine.

Question 46

Why is it that nicotine, an acetylcholine agonist, is considered a stimulant like amphetamine which affects catecholamines?

A) Nicotine blocks GABA receptors.
B) Nicotine blocks adenosine receptors.
C) Nicotine activates receptors that lead to increased perception of anxiety.
D) Nicotine activates receptors that cause the adrenal gland to release epinephrine and norepinephrine.

Question 47

Why is it that nicotine, an acetylcholine agonist, is reinforcing?

A) nicotinic receptors in the ventral tegmental area lead to the release of dopamine in the brain's reward center.
B) nicotinic receptors in the substantia nigra lead to the release of dopamine in the brain's reward center.
C) muscarinic receptors in the ventral tegmental area lead to the release of dopamine in the brain's reward center.
D) muscarinic receptors in the substantia nigra lead to the release of dopamine in the brain's reward center.

Question 48

Why is it that by blocking adenosine receptors, caffeine functions as a stimulant?

A) Caffeine also blocks reuptake of catecholamines.
B) Caffeine also blocks reuptake of indolamines.
C) Adenosine is an inhibitory neurotransmitter
D) Adenosine is an excitatory neurotransmitter

Question 49

Which of the following is consistent with the definition of pharmacokinetics?

A) Amphetamine increasing the heart rate.
B) Antidepressant blocking reuptake of serotonin.
C) Alcohol causing aggressive behavior.
D) The liver metabolizing a drug.

Question 50

Which of the following is consistent with the definition of pharmacodynamics?

A) Amphetamine increasing the heart rate.
B) The intestines absorbing a drug.
C) The bloodstream delivering a drug to an organ
D) The liver metabolizing a drug.

Question 51

___________ mimic or enhance the effects of specific neurotransmitters.

A) Agonists
B) Antagonists
C) Activators
D) Expressors

Question 52

Neurochemicals that block or decrease the effects of specific neurotransmitters are called ___________.

A) agonists
B) antagonists
C) deactivators
D) suppressors

Question 53

___________ is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain stem and spinal cord.

A) Serotonin
B) GABA
C) Glutamate.
D) Glycine

Question 54

___________ is the principal inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain.

A) Serotonin
B) GABA
C) Glutamate.
D) Glycine

Question 55

Transgenic mice with enhanced ___________ receptor function exhibit enhanced learning in an object recognition task

A) serotonin
B) GABA.
C) AMPA.
D) NMDA

Question 56

___________ is considered the workhorse transmitter for excitatory signaling pathways in the brain.

A) Vasopressin
B) Serotonin
C) γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA)
D) Glutamate

Question 57

Transgenic mice with enhanced ___________ activity showed improved memory as well.

A) vasopressin
B) serotonin
C) γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA)
D) glutamate

Question 58

Which of the following brain regions is important for producing dopamine for the brain's reward areas?

A) mesolimbic pathway
B) nigrostriatal pathway
C) locus coeruleus
D) raphe nuclei

Question 59

Which of the following brain regions is important for producing dopamine for the striatum?

A) mesolimbic pathway
B) nigrostriatal pathway
C) locus coeruleus
D) raphe nuclei

Question 60

Which of the following brain regions is important for producing norepinephrine?

A) mesolimbic pathway
B) nigrostriatal pathway
C) locus coeruleus
D) raphe nuclei

Question 61

Which of the following brain regions is important for producing serotonin?

A) mesolimbic pathway
B) nigrostriatal pathway
C) locus coeruleus
D) raphe nuclei

Question 62

Most drugs of abuse hijack the ________ resulting in addiction.

A) mesolimbic pathway
B) nigrostriatal pathway
C) locus coeruleus
D) raphe nuclei

Question 63

A therapy strategy where patients may be rewarded with vouchers or prizes when they pass a urine test for drugs is called ________

A) Behavioral sensitization
B) behavioral rehabilitation
C) behavioral tolerance
D) contingency management

Question 64

Mice raised in an enriched environment showed ________ compared to mice raised in a standard environment.

A) a reduced preference for a place previously paired with drug injections
B) a greater preference for a place previously paired with drug injections
C) equal preference for a place previously paired with drug injections
D) symptoms of withdrawal when exposed to a place previously paired with drug injections

Question 65

Raising mice in a stimulating environment more similar to living in the wild than the standard laboratory environment would be expected to produce ________.

A) aggression
B) greater anxiety
C) greater behavioral sensitization to cocaine
D) less behavioral sensitization to cocaine

Question 66

In mice, the conditioned place-preference test is used to ________.

A) assess the severity of their withdrawal
B) assess the genetics of their addiction
C) assess their reaction to novel environments
D) assess their motivation to consume a drug

Question 67

Which of the following may cause relapse in former addicts who have abstained for some time?

A) Reexposure to the drug.
B) An increase in serotonin levels.
C) Concussions.
D) An increase in dopamine levels.

Question 68

If an individual consumes a drug repeatedly in the same en?vironmental setting, they will develop ________ to it.

A) habituation
B) sensitization
C) pharmacodynamics tolerance.
D) behavioral tolerance

Question 69

When an individual's reaction to a drug decreases with repeated exposure to that drug what has occurred?

A) Sensitization
B) Pharmacokinetics
C) Habituation
D) Tolerance

Question 70

When a drug becomes more effective with repeated exposure what has occurred?

A) Sensitization
B) Pharmacokinetics
C) Habituation
D) Tolerance

Question 71

________ is the endogenous substance that activates cannabinoid receptors.

A) Anandamide
B) Adenosine
C) Enkephalin
D) Nicotine

Question 72

The receptors activated by THC are called ________.

A) κ receptors
B) δ receptors
C) μ receptors
D) cannabinoid receptors

Question 73

What receptor type might be important for the rewarding effects of heroin use?

A) NMDA receptors.
B) κ receptors.
C) δ receptors.
D) GABA receptors.

Question 74

What receptor type might be important for the analgesic effects of heroin use?

A) NMDA receptors.
B) κ receptors.
C) δ receptors.
D) μ receptors.

Question 75

Barbiturates target the action of what neurotransmitter?

A) Epinephrine
B) Serotonin
C) γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA)
D) Vasopressin

Question 76

Which of the following is a direct effect of caffeine administration?

A) The activation of adenosine receptors.
B) The blocking of adenosine receptors.
C) The activation of nicotinic cholinergic receptors.
D) The blocking of nicotinic cholinergic receptors.

Question 77

Which of the following is a direct effect of nicotine administration?

A) The activation of dopamine receptors.
B) The blocking of dopamine receptors.
C) The activation of nicotinic cholinergic receptors.
D) The blocking of nicotinic cholinergic receptors.

Question 78

Which of the following is an hallucinogen?

A) Alcohol
B) Heroin
C) Benzodiazepines
D) LSD

Question 79

Caffeine is a(n) ________.

A) stimulant
B) depressant
C) analgesic
D) hallucinogen

Question 80

Drugs that facilitate arousal are called ________.

A) stimulants
B) depressants
C) analgesics
D) hallucinogens