Alcohol Drugs and Behavior Lecture - October 22nd, 2003

Janelle Is Lecturing

Stimulants is the topic of the day.

VTA ----> NaCC

This is called the mesolimbic DA path.
Its responsible for any behavior or substance that is "rewarding"
Its where addiction comes from (called the reward area)
DA= Dopamine

The acute effects of stimulants....
They act on the sympathetic nervous system...

This system is in charge of your "fight or flight" mechanisms.
THis means that the body is put in this state of fight or flight so its
going to want to "speed up"

It will increase heart rate and increase blood pressure.

Vasodialator = causes blood vessels to expand = heart is beating faster
but more blood volume is aslo  being moved.

Broncodialator = opens lungs up and cuases them to move more air quickly.

Methampetamines = back in the 60's were prescribed as diet pills due to
appetite supressant effects.

Military= Used them as stimulants to keep soldiers up
Truck drivers use them as stimulants as well (are often addicted)

Side effects = Lose wieght, stay up all the time; one or the other is side
effect depending on desired effect.

First thing that will happen when cocaine is taken is you will feel a rush.
= Heart beating fast, high point, "all consuming," "indescribable."
 5 Minutes is the initial "rush".

The next 40-45 minutes you feel "euphorea" (that you're the best person in 
the world)

After that there are severeal hours of "Let Down"
This is a letdown of near equal magnitude as the earlier high. Like
a depressed state.

Rush---> Euphoria---> Let Down

Experiment.... 

How can the effects be measured ? (How can we know the rat is being
rewarded from cocaine use... or a good feeling)

This experiment is called Condition & Place Preference.

DARK		   Open			Light
_________________________________________________
I		I		I		I
I		I		I		I
I		I		I		I
I		I		I		I
I		I		I		I
I		I		I		I
-------------------------------------------------

Preference test...
Place the animal in the middle compartment and let it choose between
two different sides.(Dark or light)

Expected results would look like....

Number of rats who picked.
I
I   *
I
I
I
I
I-------------------------- 50%
I		*
I
I
I________________________
   Dark       Light

First day of training.
Lock animal in light side and administer cocaine.

Day 2
Give them saline and lock them in the dark side.

Day 3 repeat day 1

Day 4 repeat day 2

Day 5-1

Day 6-2

Day 7-1

DAy 8-2

Day 9 - Another preference test.
If they liked cocaine the should go to light side. If they don't
care they should go to the dark side.

Results looked like

Number of rats.
I
I
I	     *
I
I
I
I
I---------------------- 50% Line
I
I
I   *
I_______________
   Dark    Light

That information of above is related to a normal or low dose.

HIGHER DOSE (non OD dose)
- IN humans and animals you get "repetetive" behaviors     repeated animal
   - In monkeys they will flip their hands over and over (called stereotypy)
   - some animals will bite themselves.
   - some animal will even chew their fingers off.

That is an extreme motor effect and an extreme emotion to repeat.

In people another result (very exclusive to people) is the exact
syptomns of skitzophrenia. (paranoia, see things, thinking bugs are on them)
Formacation = (the bugs are in their skin feeling etc...)

Some thoughts say that this is why the animals bite themselves
(an effort to get rid of the "bugs")