Antagonist- Chemical that decreases chem activity
Agonist- Increases chemical activity

• Can affect at 5 locations:
  • Synthesis
  • Storage
  • Release
  • Breakdown
  • Action Receptor
    • most commoncway drugs interact
    • mimic strucutre and sit in activation site without activation
• Both of these can kill
• Serotonin:
  • Synthesis:
    • Eating foods containing tryptophan
  • Storage: Reserpine interferes (antagonist)
  • MDMA produces over release of serotonin (agonist)
    • Too much can cause shivering, Diarea, Muscle regidity, and siexures
  • Some drugs block Serotonin receptors (treating schizo)
  • SSRIs inhibit reuptake
  • Breakdown:

Administraiton

• Concentration in bloodsupply
• Eating is least efficient, injection to blood is most efficient

Individual Differences

• Many factors influence drug reactio
• Drinking: heavier person has more blood, thus more drug
• Genetics, dfferent enzymes, etc

Placebo Effects

• exist
• double blind placebo control design
• isn't always possible
• no way to run this study with riddlin, since you will be unblinded
• no reasonable placebo for THC
• studies of SSRI show they are expensive placebos

Tolerance and Withdrawl

• Homeostasis
• Can be trained:
  • Cocaine causes body temp to rise, so brain learns to lower body temp in anticipation of cocaine.
  • usual dose can be overdose if you take time off of drugs
  • withdrawl always goes in opposite direction from drug effects

Addictions

• Behavior repeated compulsively despite neg consequence
• people focus on short-term pleasure