CAS PS 101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Mescaline, Hallucinogen, Pseudoephedrine

• School: Boston University
• Department: Psychological & Brain Sciences
• Course: CAS PS 101
• Professor: Tracy Dunne

Document Summary

Increase neural firing and arouse the nervous system. Symptoms are basically flight or fight responses. Heart rate and respiration rate increase, blood vessels constrict, blood pressure goes up. These symptoms can occur to the point of causing a stroke. Most stimulants both increase dopamine and epinephrine and decrease the reuptake of these neurotransmitters. Continuous heavy use can lead to amphetamine psychosis. Amphetamine/dopamine psychosis: schizophrenia as a result of addiction, Increases activity of norepinephrine and dopamine by preventing reuptake. Chronic use associated with cognitive impairment and brain damage. Produces feelings of pleasure, elation, empathy and warmth. Example: body temperature increases to dangerous levels when ecstasy is used. Over time, ecstasy can kill serotonin axons so serotonin exists but can no longer be released by the cell. Starting to replace heroin as the most addictive street drug. Amount of dopamine released by meth is equivalent to 25,000 cheeseburgers. Meth contains battery acid, sulfur (from match heads), and sudafed.