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This glossary contains nearly 300 terms & words associated with drug
and alcohol addiction. Many of these are the confusing technical terms
you may hear or read from health or law enforcement professionals.
For complete information about specific drugs, including usage
methods and statistics, side effects, photos and pictures, discussions
of treatment modalities, and some common street names, follow the Related
Links at the right side of this page.
If you don't find the slang or "street" term you are
looking for, more than 2,300 are defined on the web site of the Office
of National Drug Control Policy.
Click a letter to jump to that section of the alphabet:
A | B | C | D
| E | F | G | H
| I | J | K | L
| M | N | O | P
| Q | R | S | T
| U | V | W | X
| Y | Z
A
Absorption The process the body uses to move elements from the
outside world into the blood and other tissues. Food is absorbed through
the stomach and intestines. Nicotine is absorbed through the lungs.
Abstinence The conscious choice not to use drugs. The term
"abstinence" usually refers to the decision to end the use of
a drug as part of the process of recovery from addiction.
Acetaldehyde The metabolite that results when alcohol
dehydrogenase breaks down alcohol in the body.
Acetylcholine A neurotransmitter. Acetylcholine is used by
spinal cord neurons to control muscles and by many other neurons in the
brain as well. Nicotine binds to one type of acetylcholine receptor.
Action potential The electrical part of a neuron's two-part,
electrical-chemical message. An action potential consists of a brief
pulse of electrical current that travels along the axon to relay
messages over long distances.
Acute effects The short-term effects of a drug. Acute effects
are those that people feel shortly after they ingest a drug and are
under its influence (e.g., while they are intoxicated).
Adaptive behaviors Useful behaviors we acquire as we respond
to the world around us. Adaptive behaviors help us get the things we
want and need for life.
Addiction A chronic, relapsing disease, characterized by
compulsive (loss of control) of drug-seeking and drug-taking despite
adverse health, social, or legal consequences to continued use, and by
neurochemical and molecular changes in the brain. Also often
characterized by relapses during recovery.
Addictive drugs Drugs that change the brain, change behavior,
and lead to the loss of control of drug-taking behavior.
Adenosine A neurotransmitter that binds to the adenosine
receptor. Caffeine is an adenosine antagonist and prevents adenosine
from binding with its receptor.
Adrenal gland A small gland in the body that releases a
variety of hormones that help us deal with stress. Two of these
hormones, epinephrine and norepinephrine, are also part of the
flight-or-fight response. Cocaine sharply increases the levels of these
hormones in the body.
Agonist A chemically simple, but psychoactively complex drug
commonly used in many beverages. Alcohol is a depressant drug with
significant liability for abuse and addiction.
Alcohol dehydrogenase The enzyme found mainly in the liver and
stomach that breaks down (metabolizes) alcohol.
Alcoholics Anonymous One of the earliest forms of addiction
treatment in the United States, AA developed the 12-step approach to
assisting recovery from alcohol addiction (alcoholism). Several other
anonymous groups have adapted the 12-step approach to help people
recover from addiction to other drugs (e.g., Narcotics Anonymous,
Cocaine Anonymous, Pot Smokers Anonymous.
Alveoli Tiny, balloon-like air sacks in the lungs. Alveoli are
designed to allow oxygen to pass rapidly into the blood and are also
efficient at absorbing inhaled drugs.
Alzheimer's disease A degenerative disease in which neurons of
the brain die, leading to the loss of the ability to think, learn and
remember (dementia).
Amino acids Small chemical compounds that are the building
blocks of proteins.
Amphetamines Stimulant drugs whose effects are very similar to
cocaine.
Analgesics Drugs that relieve pain.
Analog A drug whose chemical structure has been slightly
modified from a parent compound but which has similar effects. There are
many analogs to morphine or to LSD. See Designer drug.
Anandamide The endogenous neurotransmitter that binds to the
cannabinoid receptor.
Anesthesia The loss of sensation, primarily to pain, often
accompanied by the loss of consciousness.
Anesthetic gases Gaseous drugs that produce loss of sensation
and consciousness.
Antagonist A chemical that binds to a receptor and blocks it,
producing no response, and preventing agonists from binding, or
attaching, to the receptor. Antagonists include caffeine and naloxone.
Assessment The diagnostic process in which a professional
examines a drug user to determine the extent of the person's drug use,
whether he or she is addicted, and what type of treatment might be most
effective.
Auditory cortex That part of the cerebral cortex that
processes sounds and produces our awareness of them.
Axon The cable-like structure neurons used to send messages to
other neurons. It carries the neuron's electrical message.
Axon terminal The structure at the end of an axon that
produces and releases chemicals (neurotransmitters) to transmit the
neuron's message across the synapse to another neuron.
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B
Barbiturates Depressant drugs that produce relaxation and
sleep. Barbiturates include sleeping pills such as pentobarbital
(Nembutal) and secobarbital (Seconal).
Basal ganglia The large, complex set of brain structures
involved in generating movements, in some cognitive functions, and in
some emotional and motivational activities. The basal ganglia and the
cerebral cortex work together to refine movements, thoughts, and
feelings.
Behavior The observable activity of humans and animals.
Behaviorism The study of behavior, especially using operant
conditioning.
Benzodiazepines The so-called "minor" tranquilizers,
CNS depressants prescribed to relieve anxiety and produce sleep.
Benzodiazepines include tranquilizers such as diazepam (Valium) and
alprazolam (Xanax) and sleeping pills such as flurazepam (Dalmane) and
triazolam (Halcion).
Bernard, Claude The physiologist who coined the term
"homeostasis."
Bind What occurs when a neurotransmitter attaches itself to a
receptor. The neurotransmitter is said to "bind" to the
receptor.
Binge Uninterrupted consumption of a drug for several hours or
days.
Bolus A concentrated amount of drug; a dose injected rapidly
into a vein, a rounded mass of matter.
Brain That part of the central nervous system inside our
heads. Our brain is the seat of all our perceptions, thoughts, feelings
and voluntary movements.
Brain reward system A brain circuit that, when activated,
reinforces behaviors. The circuit includes the dopamine-containing
neurons of the ventral tegmental area, the nucleus accumbens, and part
of the prefrontal cortex. We perceive the activation of this circuit as
pleasure.
Brain stem The relatively primitive brain structure that
starts where our spinal cord enters our head. Neurons within the brain
stem control basic functions such as heart rate and breathing.
Broca, Paul The scientist who identified the area in the brain
responsible for producing speech, now called Broca's area.
Buprenorphine A long-lasting opiate analgesic that has both
opiate agonist and antagonist properties. Buprenorphine shows promise
for treating heroin addiction.
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C
Caffeine A mild stimulant, the most widely used drug in the
world.
Cannabinoid receptor The receptor in the brain that recognizes
THC, the active ingredient in marijuana. Marijuana exerts its
psychoactive effects via this receptor.
Cannabis The botanical name for the plant from which marijuana
comes.
Capillaries The smallest blood vessels. Oxygen and nutrients
leave the bloodstream through capillaries to get into the body. Gases
from the alveoli enter the bloodstream through capillaries in the lungs.
Cell body The central structure of a neuron, which contains
all of the molecular parts that keep the cell alive, generate new parts,
and repair or destroy existing parts.
Cell membrane The outside covering, or "skin" or a
cell. Receptors and ion channels are embedded in it.
Cellular metabolism The production of energy and new materials
in a cell.
Central nervous system The brain and spinal cord.
Cerebral cortex The large, deeply folded outer layers of the
brain that make our heads so big. The cortex carries out complex
perceptual, cognitive, and motor tasks.
"China white" A designer drug" that was an
opiate derivative. Some batches contained a neurotoxin called MPTP,
which killed neurons that make dopamine, producing symptoms similar to
Parkinson's disease.
Cholinergic The adjective derived from acetylcholine. A neuron
that contains acetylcholine is a cholinergic neuron.
Circuits A group of cortical fields or nuclei that are linked
together by their axons to perform a specific brain function. Core
components or circuits are constantly in touch with each other, whereas
other components can be brought in as the need arises.
Classical conditioning The form of implicit, unconscious
learning in which a neutral stimulus becomes associated with a
significant stimulus through repeated pairing of the two.
CNS Central Nervous System -- the brain and spinal cord.
CNS depressants A class of drugs that slow CNS function, some
of which are used to treat anxiety and sleeping disorders; includes
barbiturates and benzodiazepines.
Cocaine A highly addictive stimulant drug derived from the
coca plant that produces profound feelings of pleasure. See Crack.
Codeine A natural opioid compound that is a relatively weak,
but still effective, opiate analgesic. It has also been used to treat
other problems (e.g., to relieve coughing).
Cognitive functions Higher brain functions involving the
manipulation of information from the senses and from memory. They often
require awareness and judgment, and they enable us to know and to
analyze problems and plan solutions -- in short, to think.
Consciousness Our own awareness of ourselves and the world;
the mental processes that we can perceive; our thoughts and feelings.
Cortical field A large aggregation of millions of nerve cells
in a circumscribed region of the cerebral cortex, which together carry
out a specific function, receive connections from the same places, and
have a common structural arrangement. There are many dozens of such
fields in the cerebral cortex. Elsewhere in the brain such groups are
called nuclei.
Crack A chemically altered form of cocaine that is smoked.
Craving Hunger for drugs. It is caused by drug-induced changes
that occur in the brain with the development of addiction and arises
from a need of the brain to maintain a state of homeostasis that
includes the presence of the drug.
Cues Formerly neutral stimuli that acquire the ability to
elicit drug-craving through classical condition. Cues are also called
triggers.
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D
Decondition The unlearning of classically conditioned
responses. Helping addicts identify and neutralize the cues of triggers
they developed while they were addicted.
Dendrites The branches that reach out from a neuron's cell
body to receive messages from the axon terminals of other neurons.
Denial Unconsciously refusing to admit that someone is
addicted. Denial occurs among addicts themselves and among those who are
close to them.
Dentate gyrus A key part of the hippocampus that contains one
of the highest concentrations of cannabinoid receptors in the brain.
Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) The chemical compound that makes
up genes.
Depressants Drugs that relieve anxiety and produce sleep.
Depressants include barbiturates, benzodiazepines, and alcohol.
Designer drug An illegally manufactured chemical whose
molecular structure is altered slightly from a parent compound to
enhance specific effects. Examples include DMT, DMA, DOM, MDA and MDMA
(ecstasy).
Detoxification The process of removing a drug from the body.
This is the initial period addicts must go through to become drug-free.
Withdrawal symptoms appear early during this process. Depending on the
drug, detoxification lasts for a few days to a week or more.
Diversion Taking legally prescribed medications (e.g.,
methadone, tranquilizers) and selling them illegally.
DMA A hallucinogenic "designer drug" with
psychedelic properties.
DMT A hallucinogenic "designer drug" with
psychedelic properties.
DOM A hallucinogenic "designer drug" with
psychedelic properties.
Dopamine The neurotransmitter that produces feelings of
pleasure when released by the brain reward system.
Dopamine transporter A structure that straddles the cell
membranes of axon terminals of dopamine-releasing neurons and rapidly
removes dopamine from the synapse.
Double-blind trials Studies of an experimental drug in which
neither patient nor doctor knows whether the patient is receiving the
experimental drug or some alternative (which might be a placebo if no
treatment already exists).
Dronabinol The generic name of synthetic THC.
Drug abuse Using illegal drugs; using legal drugs
inappropriately. The repeated, high-dose, self-administration of drugs
to produce pleasure, to alleviate stress, or to alter or avoid reality
(or all three).
Drug addiction See Addiction.
Drug-free treatment A approach to helping addicts recover from
addiction without the use of medication.
Drug treatment A combination of detoxification, psychosocial
therapy and, if required, skill acquisition to help people recover from
addiction.
Dynorphins Peptides with opiate-like effects that are made by
neurons and used as neurotransmitters; one of the endogenous opiods that
binds to opiate receptors.
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E
Ecstasy (MDMA) A chemically modified amphetamine that has
hallucinogenic as well as stimulant properties.
Enabling Things that people who are close to addicts do
unconsciously that either encourage, or at least do not interfere with,
the addict's drug use.
Endogenous Something produced by the brain or body.
Endorphins Peptides with opiate-like effects that are made by
neurons and used as neurotransmitters; one of the endogenous opioids
that binds to opiate receptors.
Enkephalins Peptides with opiate-like effects that are made by
neurons and used as neurotransmitters; one of the endogenous opioids
that binds to opiate receptors.
Enzyme A large molecule that living organisms use to
facilitate the transition from one form of a chemical to another.
Enzymes are used to build, modify, or break down different molecules.
Ether An inhalant. Ether was one of the first anesthetics to
be used in surgery, but has been replaced by more effective, safer
anesthetics.
Euphoria Intense pleasure. Drug-induced euphoria is a
"rush" or pleasurable feeling. It is caused by the release of
the neurotransmitter, dopamine, within the brain reward system.
Excitatory neurotransmitter A neurotransmitter that acts to
elicit an action potential or make it more likely that one will be
elicited.
Explicit memory Memories derived from conscious learning,
using our senses and attention to store information about what is in the
world and where and when events have occurred.
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F
Fight-or-flight response An automatic response of our body
that prepares us to act to save ourselves when we become excited or
scared.
Free will Our ability to make choices and decisions that are
not under the control of outside forces or prior causes.
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G
GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) The major inhibitory
neurotransmitter in the brain. Gene Strands of DNA that contain the
blueprint of all the molecules that make up our bodies.
Glial cells Tiny brain cells that support neurons by
performing a variety of "housekeeping" functions in the brain.
Glucose A simple sugar that the brain uses as its major source
of energy.
Glutamate The most common excitatory neurotransmitter in the
brain.
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H
Habilitate The process of teaching the skills needed for
successful living. Habilitation helps people recover from addiction by
teaching life skills that were never learned because drug use interfered
with the learning and maturation process. Habilitation is especially
important for addicts who started drug use young.
Halcion A depressant drug of the benzodiazepine family used to
induce sleep.
Hallucinogens A diverse group of drugs that alter perceptions,
thoughts and feelings. Hallucinogens do not produce hallucinations.
These drugs include LSD, mescaline, MDMA (ecstasy), PCP, and psilocybin
(magic mushrooms).
Heroin The potent, widely abused opiate that produces a
profound addiction. It consists of two morphine molecules linked
together chemically.
Hippocampus A brain structure that is involved in emotions,
motivation, and learning. It plays an important role for short-term
(working) memory and is crucial for our ability to form long-term
memories.
Homeostasis The process of keeping the internal environment of
the body stable while the outside world changes.
Hypothalamus The part of the brain that controls many bodily
functions, including feeding, drinking, and the release of many
hormones.
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I
Implicit memory The memories acquired through unconscious
learning processes, such as operant and classical conditioning.
Inhalants Any drug administered by breathing in its vapors.
Most inhalants are organic solvents such as glue and paint thinner, or
anesthetic gases such as ether and nitrous oxide.
Inhibitory neurotransmitter A neurotransmitter that acts to
prevent a neuron from firing an action potential.
Inpatient treatment Residential treatment for drug addiction
in a hospital or clinic.
Interneuron Any neuron that only sends its messages locally
(within a millimeter or so). Many are inhibitory.
Intervention The act of interrupting addiction and persuading
the addict to enter treatment.
Intervention counselor A person who conducts an intervention
with an addict and the addict's family and close friends.
Intoxication Being under the influence of, and responding to,
the acute effects of a psychoactive drug. Intoxication typically
includes feelings of pleasure, altered emotional responsiveness, altered
perception, and impaired judgment and performance.
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J
K
Kinesthetic information Information from our muscles and joints that
tells us where our body is in space and how its various parts are
oriented in relation to each other. Kinesthetic information is crucial
for making accurate movements.
Korsakoff's syndrome See
Wernike-Korsakoff's syndrome.
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L
LAAM A very long-lasting opiate agonist recently approved for the
treatment of opiate addiction.
Ligand Any chemical that binds to a receptor. Ligands may be
agonists or antagonists.
Limbic system A set of brain structures that generates our
feelings, emotions, and motivations. It is also important in learning
and memory.
Localization of function A principal of brain organization
that states that specific places (circuits) in the brain carry out
specific functions.
Locus coeruleus A group of neurons (nucleus) that is the
source of all of the neurotransmitter norepinephrine in the brain.
Long-term effects The effects seen when a drug is used
repeatedly over weeks, months, or years. These effects may outlast drug
use.
Long term memory Enduring memories about things, places, and
events.
Long-term memory circuit The brain circuit, including the
cerebral cortex and hippocampus, which enables the brain to lay down and
store memories in the cortex.
LSD An hallucinogenic drug that acts on the serotonin
receptor.
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M
Maintenance treatment Treatment for opiate addiction that
involves giving the addict a synthetic opiate (methadone or LAAM) to
prevent the withdrawal and craving that often provoke relapse.
Maladaptive behaviors Behaviors acquired by drug users that
hinder them from succeeding in the normal, non-drug-using world.
Marijuana A psychoactive drug made from the leaves of the
cannabis plant. It is usually smoked but can also be eaten. See Cannabis.
Marinol The trade name of dronabinol, a synthetic version of
THC used as medicine.
MDA One of several hallucinogenic "designer drugs"
with psychedelic properties that are manufactured by basement
chemists.
MDMA (Ecstasy) A hallucinogenic "designer drug" with
psychedelic and stimulant properties.
Mescaline A naturally occurring hallucinogenic drug that acts
on the serotonin receptor.
Messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) A molecule that carries the
genetic code from DNA to the parts of the cell that use the code to make
components of the cell.
Metabolic enzymes Enzymes that break down or inactivate drugs
in the body; also, enzymes that break down food and produce
energy.
Metabolic tolerance The body's increased ability to eliminate
a drug, thereby making a given dose less effective.
Metabolism The processes by which the body breaks things down
or alters them so they can be eliminated; also, the processes by which
the body extracts energy and nutrients from food.
Metabolites The products that result when enzymes in the body
break things down or alter them to produce energy or eliminate
them.
Methadone A long-lasting synthetic opiate used to treat cancer
pain and heroin addiction.
Methamphetamine A commonly abused, potent stimulant drug that
is part of a larger family of amphetamines.
Methaqualone See quaalude.
Microsomal ethanol oxidizing system (MEOS) Liver enzymes that
metabolize many drugs, including alcohol.
Mind The container of the contents of consciousness, what we
call the results of our processes of perception, thinking, and feeling.
The mind is the manifestation of consciousness.
Morphine The most potent natural opiate compound produced by
the opium poppy.
Motivation The internally generated state (feeling) that
stimulates us to act. The neural substrate for motivation is most likely
found in the brain reward system.
Motor cortex The part of the cerebral cortex that creates the
commands that make the muscles move.
Motor neurons The neurons that control our muscles.
MPTP A neurotoxin, found in a "designed" opiate
called "China white," which kills the neurons that make
dopamine, producing a set of symptoms that look like Parkinson's
disease.
Myelin sheath A covering made of a special fat that encloses a
neuron's axon and allows it to transmit action potentials.
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N
Naloxone A short-acting opiate antagonist that binds to opiate
receptors and blocks them, preventing opiates from binding to these
receptors. Naloxone is used to treat opiate overdoses.
Naltrexone A long-lasting opiate antagonist used for the
treatment of heroin addiction, and more recently used for the treatment
of alcohol addiction.
Narcolepsy A disorder characterized by uncontrollable episodes
of deep sleep.
Negative reinforcement Reward generated by the removal of
painful or stressful conditions or events.
Nembutal (pentobarbital) A depressant drug of the barbiturate
family used to induce sleep.
Neural substrate The set of brain structures that underlies
specific behaviors or psychological states.
Neurochemicals Neurotransmitters and other brain chemicals
produced by neurons.
Neuron Nerve cell. Neurons are unique cells found in the brain
and body that are specialized to process and transmit information.
Neuroscience The study of how the brain and nervous system
work. Neuroscience integrates more traditional scientific approaches
such as anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry, along with newer fields
such as molecular biology and computer science, to understand how the
nervous system functions.
Neurotoxins Substances that damage or kill neurons.
Neurotransmission The process that occurs when a neuron
releases neurotransmitters to communicate with another neuron across the
synapse.
Neurotransmitter Chemicals produced by neurons to carry their
messages to other neurons.
Nicotine The drug in tobacco that is addictive. Nicotine also
activates a specific kind of acetylcholine receptor.
Nicotine gum, nicotine patch Two methods of delivering small
amounts of nicotine into the bodies of people who are addicted to
nicotine to help them quit smoking cigarettes by preventing nicotine
withdrawal.
Nicotinic cholinergic receptor One of two acetylcholine
receptors. This one responds to nicotine as well as acetylcholine.
Nitrous oxide An inhalant, also known as "laughing
gas." Nitrous oxide is a weak anesthetic that does not produce
unconsciousness.
Norepinephrine A neurotransmitter and a hormone. It is
released by the sympathetic nervous system onto the heart, blood
vessels, and other organs and by the adrenal gland into the bloodstream
as part of the fight-or-flight response. Norepinephrine is also present
in the brain and is used as a neurotransmitter in normal brain
processes.
Nucleus A cluster or group of nerve cells that is dedicated to
performing its own special function (s). Nuclei are found in all parts of
the brain except the cerebral cortex, where such groups are called
cortical fields.
Nucleus accumbens A part of the brain reward system, located
in the limbic system, that processes information related to motivation
and reward. It is the key brain site where virtually all drugs of abuse
act to reinforce drug taking.
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O
Open-label study A study in which both doctor and patient know that
patients are receiving an experimental drug and what that drug is.
Operant conditioning An unconscious form of learning in which a behavior
is linked to a specific stimulus through a process of reinforcement.
Opiate receptors Receptors that recognize both opiates and endogenous
opioids. When activated, they slow down or inhibit the activity of
neurons on which they reside.
Opiates Any of the psychoactive drugs that
originate from the opium poppy or that have a chemical structure like
the drugs derived from opium. Such drugs include opium, codeine, and
morphine (derived from the plant), and hydromorphone (Dilaudid),
methadone, and meperidine (Demerol), which were first synthesized by
chemists.
Opiate Receptors The opiate receptor and other brain receptors
are proteins located on the surfaces of nerve cells, or neurons. The
brain works through neurons communicating with each other by releasing
signaling chemicals called neurotransmitters. These chemicals attach to
receptors on nearby neurons the way a key fits a lock. Opiates bind specifically to opiate receptors.
Opioid Any chemical that has
opiate-like effects; commonly used to refer to neurochemicals that
activate opiate receptors (see Opiate Receptors).
Opiophobia A health
care provider's unfounded fear that patients will become physically
dependent upon or addicted to opioids even when using them
appropriately; can lead to the underprescribing of opioids for pain
management.
Organic solvents One class of inhalants that includes
substances such as gasoline, paint thinner, and glue. Organic solvents
are neurotoxic because they dissolve fatty substances, including the
axon's myeline sheath.
Outpatient treatment Nonresidential treatment for
drug addiction. Patients live at home, often work, and come to a clinic
for treatment.
Overdose The condition that results when too much of a
drug is taken, making a person sick or unconscious and sometimes
resulting in death.
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P
Parallel processing When various cortical fields and nuclei work
together simultaneously, each on a small part of a big
information-processing job.
Paranoid schizophrenia A severe form of
mental illness typically characterized by delusions of persecution and
hallucinations. This condition may be induced by binge use of
stimulants.
Parkinson's disease A disease in which dopamine-containing
neurons die. It produces severe impairments in movement, cognitive
function, and emotions.
PCP (phencyclidine) PCP has an array of effects.
Originally developed as an anesthetic, it may act as an hallucinogen,
stimulant, or sedative.
Peptides Small protein-like compounds made of
amino acid building blocks.
Perception The conscious awareness of
sensory inputs, internal states, or memories.
Periaqueductal gray matter
A set of nuclei deep within the brain stem that are involved with
visceral functions. It also plays a role in the development of physical
dependence on opiates.
Pharmacodynamics The study of the mechanisms of
actions of a drug, the relationship between how much drug is in the body
and its effects.
Pharmacokinetics The study of how the body absorbs
drugs, how they are distributed throughout the body, and how the body
gets rid of drugs.
Phencyclidine See PCP.
Physical dependence Changes
that the brain and body undergo as they adapt to the continued presence
of high doses of drugs. Because of these changes, the brain and body
eventually come to require the presence of the drug to work properly.
Placebo An inactive substance.
Plasticity The capacity of the brain to
change its structure and function within certain limits. Plasticity
underlies brain functions such as learning and allows the brain to
generate normal, healthy responses to long-lasting environmental
changes.
Polydrug abuse The abuse of two or more drugs at the same time,
such as CNS depressant abuse accompanied by abuse of alcohol.
Positive
reinforcement Something that increases the likelihood that the behavior
that elicited it will be repeated. Positive reinforcement is rewarding,
and we typically perceive it as pleasure.
Positron emission tomography
(PET) A technique for measuring brain function in living human subjects
by detecting the location and concentration of tiny amounts of
radioactive chemicals.
PET scanner The machine that detects the
radioactive chemicals used to measure brain functions.
Postsynaptic
neuron A neuron that receives messages from neurons on the other sides
of its synapses.
Prefrontal cortex The part of the cerebral cortex at
the very front of the brain. It is involved with higher cognitive and
emotional functions including short-term memory, learning, and setting
priorities for future actions.
Prescription drug abuse The intentional
misuse of a medication outside of the normally accepted standards of its
use.
Prescription drug misuse Taking a medication in a manner other than
that prescribed or for a different condition than that for which the
medication is prescribed.
Presynaptic neuron A neuron that releases
neurotransmitters into synapses to send messages to other neurons.
Prevention Stopping drug use before it starts, intervening to halt the
progression of drug use once it has begun, changing environmental
conditions that encourage addictive drug use.
Primary reinforcers
Stimuli, such as food and water, which produce reward directly, with no
learning about their significance or other intervening steps required.
Most drugs of abuse are primary reinforcers.
Projection neurons Neurons
(usually excitatory) that send their axons away from the local vicinity
to communicate with other parts of the brain.
Proteins Large molecules
made up of amino acid building blocks.
Psilocybin A natural
hallucinogenic drug derived from a mushroom. It acts on the serotonin
receptor.
Psychedelic drug Drugs that distort perception, thought, and
feeling. This term is typically used to refer to drugs with actions like
those of LSD.
Psychoactive drug A drug that changes the way the brain
works.
Psychological dependence When drugs become so central to a user's
life that the user believes he must use them.
Psychosis Severe mental
illnesses characterized by loss of contact with reality. Schizophrenia
and severe depression are psychoses.
Psychosocial therapy Therapy
designed to help addicts by using a combination of individual
psychotherapy and group (social) therapy approaches to rehabilitate or
provide the interpersonal and intrapersonal skills needed to live
without drugs.
Psychotherapeutics Drugs that have an effect on the
function of the brain and that often are used to treat psychiatric
disorders; can include opioids, CNS depressants, and stimulants.
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Q
Quaalude The trademark Quaalude for the addictive sedative and hypnotic
agent methaqualone. Methaqualone was developed in the 1960s by William
H. Rorer, Inc. By 1972, "luding out" -- taking methaqualone
with wine -- was a popular college pastime. Excessive use leads to
tolerance, dependence, and withdrawal symptoms similar to those of
barbiturates. In the United States, the marketing of methaqualone
pharmaceutical products stopped in 1984, and methaqualone was
transferred to Schedule I of the CSA. Quaalude is an example of how a
product name is carefully chosen for a positive public response. At that
time, the company's best-known product was Maalox, a digestive aid that
derived its name from its ingredients, "ma"gnesium and "al"uminum
hydr"ox"ides. To enhance the product recognition of
methaqualone, the company incorporated the "aa" of Maalox into
the name Quaalude. The other elements of the name are presumed to be a
contraction of the phrase "quiet interlude" -- a soothing,
even poetic description of a drug with dangerously hypnotic and
addictive effects.
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R
Receptor A large molecule that recognizes specific chemicals (normally
neurotransmitters, hormones, and similar endogenous substances) and
transmits the message carried by the chemical into the cell on which the
receptor resides.
Rehabilitate Helping a person recover from drug
addiction. Rehabilitation teaches the addict new behaviors to live life
without drugs.
Relapse In general, to fall back to a former condition.
Here, resuming the use of a drug one has tried to stop using. Relapse is
a common occurrence in many chronic disorders that require behavioral
adjustments to treat effectively.
Respiratory center A small set of
nuclei in the brain stem that regulate the speed and depth of breathing
ultimately by controlling the muscles that move our chest and diaphragm.
Respiratory depression Depression of respiration (breathing) that
results in the reduced availability of oxygen to vital organs.
Reuptake
The process by which neurotransmitters are removed from the synapse by
being "pumped" back into the axon terminals that first
released them.
Reuptake pump The large molecule that actually transports
neurotransmitter molecules back into the axon terminals that released
them.
Reward The process that reinforces behavior. It is mediated at
least in part by the release of dopamine into the nucleus accumbens.
Human subjects report that reward is associated with feelings of
pleasure.
Rock A small amount of crack cocaine in a solid form;
free-base cocaine in solid form.
Route of administration The way a drug
is put into the body. Eating, drinking, inhaling, injecting, snorting,
smoking, and absorbing a drug through mucous membranes all are routes of
administration used to consume drugs of abuse.
"Run" A binge
of (more or less) uninterrupted consumption of a drug for several hours
or days. This pattern of drug use is typically associated with
stimulants, but is seen with alcohol as well.
Rush Intense feelings of
euphoria a drug produces when it is first consumed. Drug users who
inject or smoke drugs describe their rush as being sometimes as intense,
or even more intense, than sexual orgasm.
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S
Seconal A depressant drug of the barbiturate family that induces sleep.
Second messenger A molecule produced inside neurons as a step in the
process of communication between cells. The second messenger lets other
parts of the cell know that a specific receptor has been activated,
thereby completing the message carried by the neurotransmitter that
bound to the receptor. Some receptors (e.g., dopamine, opiate) use
second messengers. Others (e.g., nicotine, GABA) do not.
Secondary
reinforcers Formerly neutral stimuli that acquire the ability to produce
reward through the learned association with a primary reinforcer. Money
and praise are secondary reinforcers.
Sensitization An increased
response to a drug caused by repeated administration. Sensitization is
most commonly seen in some responses to stimulants.
Serotonin A
neurotransmitter involved in many functions, including mood, appetite,
and sensory perception.
Short-term effects The acute effects of a drug.
The effects felt during and shortly after the time a person is under the
influence of (intoxicated by) a drug.
Short-term memory Also called
"working memory," short-term memory enables us to use
information from our senses and from our memory and hold that
information in our consciousness long enough to think about it.
"Skinner Box" A device that automatically released food in
response to an animal manipulating a specific object (e.g., pressing a
bar) to test "operant conditioning", named after the classic
experiments of psychologist B.F. Skinner who trained rats and pigeons to
press a lever in order to obtain a food reward.
Skin popping Injecting a
drug under the skin.
Somatosensory cortex A brain region that processes
information coming from the muscles, joints, and skin.
Stimulants A
class of drugs that elevates mood, increases feelings of well-being, and
increases energy and alertness. These drugs also produce euphoria and
are powerfully rewarding. Stimulants include cocaine, methamphetamine,
and methylphenidate (Ritalin).
Stimulus Any object or action that
penetrates awareness or excites an animal to respond.
Stroke The
blockade or rupture of a blood vessel in the brain. This prevents oxygen
from reaching neurons and may result in their death.
Synapse The site
where neurons communicate with each other. A synapse is a small gap that
physically separates neurons. Axon terminals of a neuron sending a
message (the presynaptic neuron) release neurotransmitters into the
synapse. The neurotransmitters diffuse to the other side (the
postsynaptic side) where they bind to receptors on the postsynaptic
neurons, thereby relaying the message.
Synaptic transmission See Neurotransmission.
Synthesize To make a chemical from constitutional
parts. Exact copies of drugs found in nature or created in the
laboratory are synthesized in laboratories from simpler chemicals. Many
substances are also synthesized in cells (e.g., large proteins such as
receptors, or smaller ones such as neurotransmitters).
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T
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) The major active ingredient in marijuana. It
is primarily responsible for producing the high and the rest of the
drug's psychoactive effects.
Thalamus A brain structure that lies
between the brain stem and the cortex and acts as a relay to the cortex
for almost all sensory inputs and other kinds of information.
THC See Tetrahydrocannabinol.
Theobromine A mild stimulant found in tea and
cocoa. It is a chemical cousin of caffeine.
Theophylline A chemical
cousin of caffeine that is found in tea.
Therapeutic communities
Communities that provide long-term, residential treatment for drug
addiction, offering detoxification, group therapy, and skill
acquisition.
Titrate Adjust the dose of a drug to a desired level.
Tolerance A physiological change resulting from repeated drug use that
requires the user to consume increasing amounts of the drug to get the
same effect a smaller dose used to give; often leads to physical
dependence.
Toxic Poisonous; temporary or permanent drug effects that
are detrimental to the functioning of an organ or group of organs
Tranquilizers Depressant drugs that relieve anxiety.
Transdermal
absorption Absorption through the skin.
Transporter A large molecule
that straddles the cell membrane of the axon terminals of neurons. It
removes neurotransmitter molecules from the synapse by ferrying them
back into the axon terminal that released them.
Triggers Formerly
neutral stimuli that have attained the ability to elicit drug craving
following repeated pairing with drug use; also called cues.
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U
V
Valium A depressant drug of the benzodiazepine family that relieves
anxiety.
Ventral tegmental area (VTA) The group of dopamine-containing
neurons that make up a key part of the brain reward system. The key
targets of these neurons include the nucleus accumbens and the
prefrontal cortex.
Vesicles Tiny sacks within axon terminals that
produce, release, and store neurotransmitters.
Visual cortex A brain
region in the back of the head that allows us to perceive the visual
information gathered by our eyes.
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W
Wernicke, Carl The scientist who discovered the area of the cerebral
cortex that allows us to understand language. People with damage in this
area of the cortex are unable to understand spoken or written words.
Wernicke-Korsakoff's syndrome A brain disorder characterized by the loss
of the brain's ability to store memories.
Withdrawal The period during
which a person stops using a drug to which they are addicted; see
Withdrawal Symptoms.
Withdrawal Symptoms Physical (body and brain )
and/or psychological (mental/emotional) symptoms that occur after
stopping drug use in a person who is physically or emotionally dependent
on that drug. Withdrawal symptoms can be mild, moderate, severe and even
life threatening depending on the specific case and circumstances.
Working memory See Short-term memory.
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X
Xanax (aprazalom) A depressant drug of the benzodiazepine family
that relieves anxiety.
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Y
Z
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