Question 1

The group of psychoactive drugs called stimulants includes
A)cocaine.
B)Prozac.
C)LSD.
D)heroin.

Accepted Answer

Stimulants are drugs that increase activity in the brain and the central nervous system. Cocaine is a powerful stimulant that increases dopamine levels in the brain, leading to feelings of euphoria and heightened alertness. Prozac is an antidepressant medication and a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) that increases serotonin levels in the brain, but it is not classified as a stimulant. LSD is a hallucinogenic drug, and heroin is a narcotic analgesic that depresses the central nervous system.

Question 2

Concussions and cerebral infections can decrease the effectiveness of
A)drug metabolism.
B)the blood-brain barrier.
C)protein binding.
D)multiple drug doses.

Accepted Answer

Concussions and cerebral infections can weaken the blood-brain barrier, which can make it easier for drugs to enter the brain and increase the risk of adverse effects or toxicity. This can also affect the distribution of drugs within the brain and affect their effectiveness.

Question 3

The threshold on a dose-response curve is the
A)point at which the dose of the drug causes maximal response.
B)lowest dose at which there is an observable effect of the drug.
C)safe effective dose of the drug.
D)therapeutic index of the drug.

Accepted Answer

The threshold on a dose-response curve is the lowest dose at which there is an observable effect of the drug. This means that below the threshold dose, there is no effect of the drug, and above the threshold dose, the magnitude of the effect increases with increasing dose. Once the threshold is reached, increasing the dose further will not result in additional effects.

Question 4

With increasing doses of any useful drug,there is usually an increase in the number and severity of
A)side effects.
B)beneficial effects.
C)placebo effects.
D)effects on the stomach.

Accepted Answer

With increasing doses of any useful drug, there is usually an increase in the number and severity of side effects. This is due to the fact that as the dosage increases, the drug's concentration in the body also increases, which can lead to more side effects.

Question 5

Most of our drugs originally came either directly or indirectly from
A)South America.
B)plants.
C)petroleum.
D)German chemists.

Accepted Answer

Most of our drugs have origins in plants, either through isolation of compounds from the plant or the synthesis of compounds inspired by plant molecules. Medicinal plants have been used for centuries for their healing properties, and many modern drugs still have their roots in traditional herbal medicine.

Question 6

After oral administration,most absorption of the drug molecules takes place in the
A)small intestine.
B)kidneys.
C)heart.
D)lower bowel.

Accepted Answer

The small intestine is the primary site for drug absorption after oral administration. This is because it has a large surface area and a rich blood supply. The absorption occurs mainly in the upper part of the small intestine where the absorptive cells called enterocytes are located. The drug molecules cross the enterocytes to enter the bloodstream and get distributed to the target organs. The kidneys, heart, and lower bowel are not the primary sites for drug absorption.

Question 7

,and coma to illustrate
A)how different drugs have different effects.
B)that different drug-related effects can have different thresholds.
C)the placebo effect.
D)the grapefruit-juice effect.

Accepted Answer

Different drug-related effects can have different thresholds, meaning that the amount or dose of a drug necessary to produce one effect may be different from the amount necessary to produce another effect. For example, a low dose of a drug may produce mild euphoria, while a higher dose may lead to sedation or even coma. This is important to understand when determining safe and effective dosage levels for medication.

Question 8

Regardless of the route of administration,psychoactive drugs reach the brain tissue by way of the
A)meninges.
B)spinal cord.
C)bloodstream.
D)liver.

Accepted Answer

Psychoactive drugs are typically absorbed into the bloodstream and travel to the brain tissue, where they exert their effects. Drug molecules can cross the blood-brain barrier, which separates the brain from the rest of the body's bloodstream, and enter the brain tissue. Option A (meninges) and B (spinal cord) are not involved in the transport of psychoactive drugs to the brain. Option D (liver) is involved in metabolizing (breaking down) drugs, but it does not directly contribute to the transportation of drugs to the brain.

Question 9

The safety margin for a particular drug is based on the idea that
A)toxic doses will typically be larger than therapeutic doses.
B)most drugs cause toxicity problems only when combined with other drugs.
C)we need to determine an LD50 using human volunteers.
D)we should only prescribe drugs that are not toxic even at high doses.

Accepted Answer

The safety margin for a drug is determined by calculating the difference between the therapeutic dose and the toxic dose. In general, toxic doses of a drug will be higher than therapeutic doses, meaning that there is a margin of safety between these two doses. This margin of safety allows for safe prescribing of drugs and helps prevent adverse effects in patients.

Question 10

If you want to get very high concentrations of cocaine to the brain very rapidly,which route of administration would you probably use?
A)oral
B)subcutaneous
C)topical
D)intravenous

Accepted Answer

Intravenous administration allows the drug to go straight into the bloodstream, bypassing the digestive and metabolic processes, and quickly reaching the brain, resulting in high concentrations of cocaine in the brain in a very rapid manner. The other routes of administration would not provide such a rapid onset or high concentration of the drug in the brain.

Question 11

The story of the Michigan police officer who ate marijuana-laced brownies and then called 911,is a good illustration of which basic psychopharmacology fact?
A)Drug laws only apply to those outside of law enforcement.
B)Marijuana produces paranoia in the majority of users.
C)The oral route of administration produces the fastest onset of effects.
D)Different routes of administration can producing markedly different drug effects.

Accepted Answer

The story of the Michigan police officer who ate marijuana-laced brownies and then called 911 illustrates that different routes of administration can produce markedly different drug effects. Consuming marijuana in edible form produces a different onset and duration of effects compared to smoking or vaping. This can lead to unexpected and potentially dangerous experiences, as seen in this scenario.

Question 12

The potency of a drug is defined in terms of
A)the magnitude of the effect it produces.
B)its dependence potential.
C)whether it has a detectible odor.
D)the amount required to produce an effect.

Accepted Answer

The potency of a drug is defined by the amount required to produce an effect. The more potent a drug, the smaller the amount needed to produce a particular effect compared to a less potent drug. Therefore, option D, "the amount required to produce an effect," is the correct answer. The other options are not directly related to the potency of a drug.

Question 13

Of the following routes of administration,which will produce fastest onset of effects?
A)inhalation.
B)intramuscular injection.
C)using a rectal suppository.
D)rubbing it on the head.

Accepted Answer

Inhalation allows the substance to directly enter the bloodstream through the lungs, providing a fast onset of effects compared to other routes.

Question 14

Which of these is given its own classification category,due to its complex effects at different doses?
A)cocaine
B)marijuana
C)Abilify
D)caffeine

Accepted Answer

Marijuana is given its own classification category due to its complex effects at different doses. It can act as a stimulant or a depressant, and also has hallucinogenic properties. The effects can vary depending on the potency and method of consumption.

Question 15

The time course of a drug's action depends on
A)how the drug is administered.
B)how rapidly the drug is absorbed.
C)how the drug is eliminated from the body.
D)all of the above.

Accepted Answer

The time course of a drug's action is determined by how it is administered, absorbed, and eliminated from the body. Therefore, all of the options (A, B, and C) are correct.

Question 16

Most drugs have three different kinds of names.Which of them belongs to a specific manufacturer?
A)chemical name
B)generic name
C)brand name
D)research name

Accepted Answer

A drug's brand name is assigned by the specific manufacturer and is used to market the medication. Chemical names describe the drug's molecular structure, while generic names are derived from the drug's chemical name and are not affiliated with any specific manufacturer. Research names are internal names used during drug development and are not typically used publicly.

Question 17

Alcohol has a low tendency,but THC has a high tendency,to
A)bind to the serotonin receptor.
B)dissolve in water.
C)bind to blood proteins.
D)produce dependence.

Accepted Answer

THC has a high tendency to bind to blood proteins, which affects its distribution and metabolism in the body, whereas alcohol does not bind to blood proteins as readily.

Question 18

The blood-brain barrier
A)is fully developed in humans when they are born.
B)is designed to allow all drug compounds into the brain.
C)cannot be penetrated,even with trauma to the brain.
D)prevents many drugs from entering the brain.

Accepted Answer

The blood-brain barrier is a protective mechanism that prevents many drugs and other compounds from entering the brain. This is because the barrier is made up of tightly packed cells that prevent large molecules from passing through. However, some drugs are able to cross the barrier, either through active transport or by being small enough to pass through the barrier itself. Therefore, while the blood-brain barrier is not impenetrable, it does limit the types of compounds that can enter the brain.

Question 19

Nonspecific effects of taking a drug are those that do not depend on its chemical activity.They are sometimes referred to as
A)placebo effects.
B)ataxia.
C)side effects.
D)dose-response effects.

Accepted Answer

Nonspecific effects of taking a drug are often related to placebo effects, which can include psychological and physiological responses that are not directly related to the pharmacological properties of the drug itself. Ataxia, side effects, and dose-response effects are all specific effects of taking a drug that can be attributed to its chemical activity or dosage level.

Question 20

Some drugs may act on all types of neurons by
A)blocking all receptor types.
B)interfering with metabolism.
C)preventing absorption of nutrients.
D)altering the electrical potential across the cell membrane.

Accepted Answer

Drugs that alter the electrical potential across the cell membrane can act on all types of neurons because the electrical potential is a fundamental property of neurons. This includes drugs that affect ion channels or the activity of neurotransmitters that regulate the flow of ions across the membrane. Blocking all receptor types or interfering with metabolism would only affect certain types of neurons, while preventing absorption of nutrients would not directly affect the electrical potential across the membrane.

Quiz 5: The Actions of Drugs

The group of psychoactive drugs called stimulants includes

Concussions and cerebral infections can decrease the effectiveness of

The threshold on a dose-response curve is the

With increasing doses of any useful drug,there is usually an increase in the number and severity of

Most of our drugs originally came either directly or indirectly from

After oral administration,most absorption of the drug molecules takes place in the

,and coma to illustrate

Regardless of the route of administration,psychoactive drugs reach the brain tissue by way of the

The safety margin for a particular drug is based on the idea that

If you want to get very high concentrations of cocaine to the brain very rapidly,which route of administration would you probably use?

The story of the Michigan police officer who ate marijuana-laced brownies and then called 911,is a good illustration of which basic psychopharmacology fact?

The potency of a drug is defined in terms of

Of the following routes of administration,which will produce fastest onset of effects?

Which of these is given its own classification category,due to its complex effects at different doses?

The time course of a drug's action depends on

Most drugs have three different kinds of names.Which of them belongs to a specific manufacturer?

Alcohol has a low tendency,but THC has a high tendency,to

The blood-brain barrier

Nonspecific effects of taking a drug are those that do not depend on its chemical activity.They are sometimes referred to as

Some drugs may act on all types of neurons by