Property
Category – Stimulants
Cocaine
Possible for some people,
symptoms include craving,
Physical dependence irritability, anxiety, depression,
increased appetite and
exhaustion
Moderate if oral; very high if
Psychological dependence injected
tolerance
Amphetamine
possible
Can be habit forming; large
doses injected intravenously
can lead to dependence
Initial tolerance to cocaine
Rapid tolerance may be seen
Drug disposition develops rapidly with continual at high doses. This may deplete
heavy use. After this initial level
neurotransmitters stored, so
is reached, cocaine users don't another dose may not be able
behavioral appear to develop tolerance for to displace neurotransmitters
increasing amounts. Regular
because they haven’t had a
users may in fact develop a
chance to be reabsorbed into
'reverse tolerance' where they
vesicles.
experience the effects of the
drug more intensely. Tolerance
to cocaine may not be obvious
pharmacodynamic due to the tendency for users to
mix cocaine with other drugs
such as heroin and alcohol.
Withdrawal
Severely depressed mood,
prolonged sleep, apathy,
irritability, disorientation
Methamphetamine
Similar to cocaine, and can
include lethargy, craving,
depressed mood, etc.
high
The severity and length of
symptoms vary with the amount
of damage done to the normal
reward system through
methamphetamine use. The
most common symptoms are:
drug craving, extreme irritability,
loss of energy, depression,
fearfulness, excessive
drowsiness or difficulty in
sleeping, shaking, nausea,
palpitations, sweating,
hyperventilation, and increased
appetite
Very high abuse potential
Yes, can cause life problems,
sleeplessness, moodiness, stop
Abuse potential enjoying activities.
high
Very high
high
Very high
Craving potential
Addictive potential (disease)
Small amounts no threat;
increased amounts can lead to
acute cocaine poisoning –
convulsions, and respiratory or
Acute Toxicity
cardiac arrest; ventricular
fibrillation, can trigger allergic
reactions
Irritant to nasal septum leading
to chronically inflamed, runny
nose
Use in a binge can lead to
irritability, restlessness, paranoia
and paranoid psychosis
Chronic toxicity
Can lead to heart damage
among chronic users because it
briefly disrupts heart functioning
?
1. At higher doses, user panics
easily and can become
paranoid – coupled with
increased feelings of power, this
can lead to violence.
2. destruction of catecholamine
neurons in rat studies
1. Could produce violent
behavior, but risk is lower
than that resulting from
alcohol use
2. 2. contaminants from
manufacture can
produce toxic effects in
brain cells
It
kills
by
causing heart failure
1. amphetamine psychosis
(myocardial infarction), brain
possibly caused by
dream-sleep deprivation. damage, and stroke and it
induces extreme, acute
2. also possible caused by
psychiatric and psychological
high dopamine
stimulation in mesolimbic symptoms that may lead to
suicide or murder.
pathway.
3. compulsive and
repetitive actions
possibly due to affect on
dopaminergic systems in
basal ganglia
Behavioral toxicity
Very high reinforcement
potential
High doses injected
intravenously can lead to
dependence
All addictive drugs have two
things in common: they produce
an initial pleasurable effect,
followed by a rebound
unpleasant effect.
Methamphetamine, through its
stimulant effects, produces a
positive feeling, but later leaves
a person feeling depressed. This
is because it suppresses the
normal production of dopamine,
creating a chemical imbalance.
The user physically demands
more of the drug to return to
normal. This pleasure/tension
cycle leads to loss of control
over the drug and addiction.
Oral; intransasal, intravenous an
smoked
Snorted or smoked
Peak effects occur 1.5 hours
after ingestion; if snorted, peak
effects occur between 15-30
minutes after ingestion; if
smoked, peak effects occur
within 5-10 minutes
Effects felt within 5 seconds after
snorting.
Reinforcer
Sniffed, injected, smoked – free
base—extracting it into ether or
Route of administration mixed with tobacco or mixed
with baking soda to create
crack and then smoked
Effects felt within a couple of
minutes; first there’s a rush and
a freeze or numbing sensation;
Time course
after 5 minutes feelings of
exhilaration and feelings of
clarity
Variable; 20-30 minutes
followed by a comedown or
How long effects last
letdown. If injected, the rush
occurs within seconds
variable
Effective dose
Hard to determine because of
Effects lasting anywhere from
four to 24 hours.
Variable
Variable
Variable
variable
Lethal dose individual differences in uptake
and metabolism;
Variable
Safety margin
With alcohol forms
Drug interactions cocaethylene which is less
potent than cocaine
Variable
How much needed
One hour – another source says
Half-life 40 minutes
7 to 14 hours (book says 10-12);
full elimination is within two
days after drug is taken
4-5 hours
Amphetamine is recognized by
catecholamine receptors;
increased activity of dopamine,
serotonin, and NE by stimulating
their release from vesicles
Nucleus accumbens
Methamphetamine has methyl
group added which makes it
cross blood-brain barrier easier
Metabolized by enzymes in
How metabolized blood and liver
Cocaine blocks reuptake of
dopamine, serotonin, and
Neurotransmitters affected norepinephrine
Mesolimbic pathway
Circuitry affected
Coke, crack, snow
Trade/street name
Increased alertness, excitation,
euphoria, increased pulse rate
Possible effects
and blood pressure, insomnia,
loss of appetite
Agitation, increased body
Effects of overdose temperature, hallucinations,
convulsions possible death
Side Effects
Same as cocaine
Same as cocaine
Elevated heart rate, increased
blood pressure
Originally thought to be safe
and effective. Still used as a
local anesthetic; still used in
surgery in the nasal, laryngeal,
and esophageal regions.
Drug of high achievers in the
Beneficial effects
80s because of increased
energy and well-being
1. Amphetamines can cause
excited feelings, but doesn’t
eliminate depression – table 6.3
2. Weight control – can
produce effects at first, but
tolerance can occur after 4-6
weeks so weight loss stops
3. ADHD – but mechanism of
action not understood. There
may be deficits in the
catecholamine-rich areas of
the brain