4.5 Substance Use and Abuse — How Drugs Hijack Your Brain's Own Chemistry | Psychology 2e
After this lesson you will be able to…
- Understand how psychoactive substances manipulate the brain's natural chemical systems.
- Learn the clinical criteria for diagnosing substance use disorder, including tolerance and withdrawal.
- Explore how depressant drugs slow the central nervous system by enhancing GABA's inhibitory effects.
- Understand why abrupt withdrawal from depressants can cause a catastrophic electrical storm in the brain.
- Learn how stimulants like cocaine and amphetamines exploit the brain's dopamine reward system.
- Discover why stimulants are prescribed for ADHD, despite their activating effects.
- Understand the aggressive mechanism and severe physical and psychological consequences of methamphetamine abuse.
- Learn how caffeine works by blocking adenosine receptors, preventing the feeling of fatigue.
- Understand how opioids mimic the body's natural pain relief system, leading to a deadly crisis.
- Trace the evolution of the opioid crisis from prescription marketing to fentanyl-laced street drugs.
- Learn how Naloxone rapidly reverses opioid overdoses by ejecting hijacking chemicals from receptors.
- Understand how hallucinogens profoundly alter sensory perception through varied neurochemical mechanisms.
- Explore the scientific and legal complexities surrounding marijuana, including its medical applications and research roadblocks.
- Ponder the ethical implications of future neuropharmacological advancements and engineered happiness.
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(0)This lesson dives into the neuroscience behind psychoactive drugs, exploring how substances like alcohol, cocaine, opioids, and caffeine don't create ...
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Quiz: Psychoactive Substances and Brain Chemistry
FundamentalsAnswer each question based only on what was presented in the video lesson. No outside knowledge is required — every answer can be found in the content covered during the deep dive.
Practice: Psychoactive Drugs and Brain Chemistry
PracticeAnswer each question using what you learned in the video. Show your reasoning where asked, and use specific neuroscience vocabulary from the lesson.