Introduction:
Psychoactive drugs are compounds/chemicals that influence
many parts of the body. These compounds usually have some specific
target structure or receptor that they bind with. When these binding
sites are in the brain, they cause changes in brain biochemistry and effect
body functions and behavior. Sociologically, drugs that influence
brain functioning and behavior are ultimately classified into two
categories: Licit (legal) and Illicit (illegal). However, drugs do not
care what society says, they just have effects on some receptor. If
the result is the person feels good, they may use them again. If the
person feels bad the person may never use it.
Pharmacologically, drugs can be classified many ways.
The most common way is on the scale where stimulants are on one end and
depressants are on the other. However, some drugs (hallucinogens) do
not really cause stimulation or depression. Other classification
schemes are more general. Here drugs are classified as “uppers” (e.g.,
cocaine, amphetamines, caffeine, nicotine), “downers” (e.g., alcohol,
narcotics, tranquilizers, sedative hypnotics, barbiturates), and “all
arounders” (e.g., hallucinogens, marijuana, PCP, inhalants). Regardless, of
the scheme used, the effects of the drug are still the same.
This section will provide a brief introduction to this area.
We begin with a review of the nervous system and how it works. Then we
discuss pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of various compounds.
Finally, I will provide a brief overview of several drugs of importance.
Goal: To learn how drugs
enter the body, travel through the system, influence various body
structures, and are eliminated from the body. Finally, we will discuss
how learning theory can influence biological effects.
Objectives:
After completing this lesson you should understand / be
able to:
 | Describe the different classification system of drugs |
| Describe basic brain processes and how they work |
| Describe how compounds influence various brain systems
and behavior |
| Describe how compounds enter the system |
| Describe how compounds influence various body structures |
| Describe how compounds are eliminated from the system |
| Describe how compounds influence behavior and memory |
| Describe several categories of drugs and how they
generally work |
| Describe how some specific drugs influence the system se. |
