StimulantsBy Samantha M. and Drumil BUCLA 2014

Stimulants

Can you name a few?

● Controlled Substances:o Cocaineo Amphetamineso Adderallo MDMA

● Everyday stimulants:o Caffeineo Nicotine

Common Stimulants

● Increases heart rate, blood pressure, movement, attention, and overall arousal

● Euphoria

Stimulants

Dopamine● Involved in a lot of

different functions

● Affected by many different types of drugs

● Involved in:

o movemento rewardo new experiences

Dopamine

● Chemicals sent by the brain to communicate across cells (neurons)

● Different neurotransmitters for different messages. For ex. some can excite cells while others can restrict signaling

Neurotransmitters

Transporters

Transporters

● Comes from coca plant mainly found in South America

● Stimulant● Legality

Cocaine

● Works by blocking dopamine transporter

● Increased dopamine in synapse

● Increased euphoria and happiness

Cocaine

Before Cocaine After Cocaine

● Artificially increasing heart rate and blood pressure increases chance of heart attack

● Hallucinations● Increased risk taking!

Cocaine

● Smoking

● Injecting● Oral Administration

● Snorting (insufflation)

Cocaine

● Stimulant

● Made illegally in labs

● WWII o keep soldiers alerto increased risk taking o kamikaze

Methamphetamine

● Schedule 2o high risk for abuseo medical use

● Medically used to treat:o Narcolepsyo ADHD

Methamphetamine

Before Meth After Meth

Methamphetamine - Efflux

Different Ways Meth Can Be Taken:o Smoked - crystals

o Injected - liquid

o Snorted - powder

o Oral - pills

Methamphetamine

● Short-Term:o loss of hungero increased heart rate, blood

pressure, temperatureo Seizures

● Long-Term:o Meth Moutho Depressiono Paranoido Insomnia

Methamphetamine

● Behavioral Treatments:

o 12 step programs

o relapse prevention techniques

o family involvement

Methamphetamine