Deck 6: Psychostimulants

Question 1

Which is an example of a street drug that belongs to the cathinone family of drugs?

A) kiddie coke
C) crystal meth
B) crack
D) bath salts

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Jackie, a chemist who specializes in drugs of abuse, is giving a seminar to drug enforcement officials. She explains why "crystal labs" routinely convert cocaine from coca paste to a salt form. She makes the point, "The salt form of cocaine produces a ____."

A) greater volume of cocaine and allows users to snort or inject the drug
B) a purer cocaine product and allows users to snort or inject the drug
C) greater volume of cocaine and allows users to smoke or ingest
D) purer cocaine product and allows users to smoke or ingest

Answer 2

B

Question 3

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, approximately how many Americans used cocaine in 2009?

A) About one million
C) about 10 million
B) About five million
D) about 15 million

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Amphetamine was first used to treat ADHD in ____.

A) 1887
C) 1966
B) 1937
D) 2006

Question 5

What were Freud's views on cocaine use?

A) He was first very skeptical of its value, but later realized its benefits.
B) He was first very enthusiastic about its benefits, but later realized its deleterious effects.
C) He strongly encouraged its use throughout his career.
D) He was greatly opposed to its usage throughout his career.

Question 6

Jeanette gets a call from her son's high school principal, who informs Jeanette that her son was caught with kiddie coke. What drug name is likely to be listed on the principal's write-up of the incident?

A) ephedra
C) methamphetamine
B) cocaine
D) methylphenidate

Question 7

Psychostimulants are also referred to as ____.

A) neuromimetics
C) sympathomimetics
B) automimetics
D) parasympathomimetics

Question 8

The salt form of psychostimulants is necessary for the insufflation (snorting) route because drugs must be ____ for proper absorption through membranes of the nose, throat, and lungs.

A) sufficiently buffered
C) water soluble
B) highly purified
D) lipid soluble

Question 9

What is the relationship between crack and cocaine?

A) Crack represents the active ingredient in cocaine.
B) Crack is a form of cocaine that can be readily injected.
C) Crack is derived from transforming cocaine back into base form.
D) Crack is derived from synthetic sources, cocaine from natural sources.

Question 10

What fraction of children with ADHD are prescribed methylphenidate?

A) 1/4
C) 2/3
B) 1/3
D) 3/4

Question 11

Drugs that increase psychomotor and sympathetic nervous system activity are referred to as ____.

A) cannabinoids
C) psychedelics
B) opioids
D) psychostimulants

Question 12

According to research studies, who is least likely to become addicted to cocaine?

A) Tim, who snorts cocaine
C) Malya, who ingests coca leaves
B) Shay, who injects cocaine
D) Aurora, who inhales crack cocaine

Question 13

Who was instrumental in providing an early in-depth review of cocaine, which included information on coca plants, ancient human use, effects observed in animals, and self-reports?

A) Sigmund Freud
C) B.F. Skinner
B) Ivan Pavlov
D) Jean Piaget

Question 14

Which is an example of a psychostimulant drug?

A) alcohol
C) cocaine
B) Psilocybin mushrooms
D) LSD

Question 15

What is an example of a legitimate medical use for a psychostimulant?

A) Treatment of ADHD
C) Prevention of neuronal loss
B) Relieving pain
D) Treatment of depression

Question 16

In 2006, U.S. pharmacies placed restrictions on the sale of cold remedies because many contain the chemicals ephedrine and pseudoephedrine; chemicals used for the production of ____.

A) methamphetamine
C) pyrovalerone
B) cocaine
D) methylphenidate

Question 17

How were cathinones, derived from the khat plant, first introduced to the Western world?

A) In 1887, German missionaries in Ethiopia discovered that the khat plant was ideal for increasing blood pressure.
B) In 1944, Leandro Panizzon, a chemist working for the Ciba Pharmaceutical Company, discovered the khat plant while vacationing in east Africa.
C) In the mid-1500s, Spanish conquistadors first discovered the khat plant during their conquest of the Incan empire in Peru.
D) Peter Forsskal, a Dane, discovered the khat plant during an expedition to Arabia in 1760.

Question 18

After landing in the emergency room, Darius finds out that he had high levels of methylecgonidine in his body. Upon further inquiry, Darius learns that methylecgonidine is a ____.

A) cocaine additive used to increase its addictive properties
B) a common impurity found in cocaine used to increase its volume
C) byproduct of the freebase synthesis process of cocaine
D) highly purified form of cocaine

Question 19

Why is it problematic that cocaine remains classified as a narcotic by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration?

A) Cocaine is in fact not a narcotic substance.
B) Cocaine is not as highly addictive as once thought.
C) Cocaine leads mainly to psychological, not physical, dependence.
D) Deaths associated with cocaine administration are very rare.

Question 20

Darren has just taken a psychostimulant drug. What can he expect?

A) Feeling relaxed; heightened introspection
B) Feeling relaxed; positive mood
C) Improved alertness; heightened introspection
D) Improved alertness; positive mood

Question 21

Sandro uses both alcohol and cocaine. What effect is this likely to have?

A) Alcohol metabolites will greatly reduce the effects of cocaine.
B) Cocaine metabolites will greatly reduce the effects of alcohol.
C) The drugs will interact to produce a metabolite that interferes with the effects of both alcohol and cocaine.
D) The drugs will interact to produce a metabolite that acts as a psychostimulant enhancing the pleasurable effects of both drugs.

Question 22

Graduate student Alina is observing stereotypy behavior in response to psychostimulant administration to collect data for her upcoming thesis defense. What is an example of a behavior that she will classify as a stereotypy?

A) repetitive grooming
C) goal-directed lever pressing
B) sleeping
D) sniffing a novel stimuli

Question 23

Following chronic cocaine use, Jasmine ends up in the hospital. From the list below, which is a deleterious effect of cocaine that she likely experienced?

A) attempted suicide
C) stroke
B) liver toxicity
D) pneumonia

Question 24

Drug discrimination procedures measure the ____ of psychostimulants.

A) objective effects
C) physical withdrawal symptoms
B) subjective effects
D) psychological withdrawal symptoms

Question 25

Postdoctoral research fellow Michelle performs a microdialysis experiment on rats who received chronic treatments of amphetamine. What changes in neurotransmitter levels is Michelle likely to find?

A) Increases in dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine
B) Increases in dopamine; decreases in serotonin, and norepinephrine
C) Increases in dopamine, glutamate, and acetylcholine
D) Increases in dopamine; decreases in glutamate, and acetylcholine

Question 26

Graduate student Pippa is reading about the features of punding behavior to prepare for her upcoming seminar presentation. She learns that ____ is a common punding behavior.

A) repetitive grooming
C) nail biting
B) head swaying
D) licking

Question 27

Dr. Parker studies the relationship between CART and dopamine in the brain. Dr. Parker is most likely to give a talk entitled, "____."

A) CART: How Does it Block Dopamine Release?
B) What is the Role of Dopamine in Blocking CART Synthesis?
C) CART Synthesis and Its Role in Increasing Dopamine Release
D) How Psychostimulants Reduce CART but Increase Dopamine Levels

Question 28

Psychostimulants reduce hunger through actions in the ____.

A) amygdala
C) hypothalamus
B) nucleus accumbens
D) thalamus

Question 29

Amphetamines cause an increase in synaptic dopamine levels through two mechanisms of action: ____.

A) reversal of dopamine transporters and blocking dopamine storage
B) reversal of dopamine transporters and blocking dopamine metabolism
C) blocking dopamine reuptake and blocking dopamine storage
D) blocking dopamine reuptake and blocking dopamine metabolism

Question 30

What is a physiological change associated with methamphetamine usage that contributes to meth mouth?

A) increased salivation
C) increased calcium levels
B) decreased salivation
D) decreased calcium levels

Question 31

The greatest health risks associated with psychostimulant use are to the ____ system.

A) integumentary
C) cardiovascular
B) endocrine
D) nervous

Question 32

Harold uses cocaine. What effect is this likely to have on his cardiovascular system?

A) Constricts blood vessels; increases heart rate
B) Constricts blood vessels; decreases heart rate
C) Dilates blood vessels; increases heart rate
D) Dilates blood vessels; decreases heart rate

Question 33

Either sensitization or tolerance can occur during chronic psychostimulant administration. Which statement accurately reflects these processes?

A) Sensitization occurs for purposeless behavior; tolerance occurs for positive subjective effects.
B) Sensitization occurs for positive subjective effects; tolerance occurs for purposeless behavior.
C) Both sensitization and tolerance occur for purposeless behavior, but not for positive subjective effects.
D) Both sensitization and tolerance occur for positive subjective effects, but not for purposeless behavior.

Question 34

What is the relationship between low dose psychostimulant administration and changes in behavior?

A) Low doses affect both purposeless and purposeful behavior.
B) Low doses are insufficient to affect purposeless or purposeful behavior.
C) Low doses affect purposeless behavior, but not purposeful behavior.
D) Low doses affect purposeful behavior, but not purposeless behavior.

Question 35

Cocaine alters the levels of dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin by ____.

A) reversing transporters
C) preventing reuptake
B) blocking metabolism
D) increasing precursor levels

Question 36

After using a high dose of methamphetamine, Jassinda experiences formication. What is she likely to scream out?

A) "What are those flashes of light?"
B) "I can smell burning hair!"
C) "My dead grandmother is speaking to me!"
D) "There are worms crawling under my skin!"

Question 37

Dr. Gomez studies the anorectic effects of psychostimulants. What is she likely to measure in her experiments?

A) eating habits
C) mood changes
B) sleeping patterns
D) liver toxicity

Question 38

In contrast to psychostimulant-induced psychotic hallucinations, schizophrenia-induced psychotic hallucinations are mainly restricted to the ____ type.

A) tactile
C) visual
B) auditory
D) olfactory

Question 39

Dr. Martinez studies pharmacodynamic tolerance to psychostimulants. What result is he likely to find following chronic psychostimulant administration to rats?

A) Increases in dopamine precursor levels
B) Changes in dopamine D₂ receptor sensitivity
C) Diminished levels of dopamine transporters
D) Decreased COMT activity

Question 40

Amber uses cocaine during her pregnancy. What is the greatest risk that this poses to her unborn child?

A) Causes hydrocephalus
C) Increases risk of infection
B) Reduces oxygen levels to fetus
D) Leads to abnormal limb development

Question 41

Drugs that facilitate GABA neurotransmission may be effective in preventing psychostimulant relapse because they may ____.

A) increase the negative subjective effects of psychostimulant use
B) act as mild euphoria-inducing substitutes
C) block physical dependence
D) interrupt associative learning processes

Question 42

Drug-discrimination procedures often are conducted in rats, pigeons, or monkeys using ____ chambers.

A) microdialysis
C) self-administration
B) activity
D) operant

Question 43

What is the relationship between psychostimulant dosing and the development of sensitization and tolerance?

A) Tolerance and sensitization are caused by intermittent, not continuous dosing.
B) Tolerance and sensitization are caused by continuous, not intermittent dosing.
C) Intermittent dosing causes tolerance; continuous dosing causes sensitization.
D) Intermittent dosing causes sensitization; continuous dosing causes tolerance.

Question 44

Marissa develops a tolerance to cocaine. She switches to methamphetamine, but finds that she has a tolerance to this drug as well. Which is the term used to describe this type of tolerance?

A) cross tolerance
C) desensitized tolerance
B) pharmacokinetic tolerance
D) overlap tolerance

Question 45

Gabby has a C-1021T polymorphism. What is she likely to experience if she uses a psychostimulant drug?

A) A shorter than normal duration of the drug's effects
B) A longer than normal duration of the drug's effects
C) A heightened positive subjective experience
D) A heightened negative subjective experience

Question 46

For her public speaking class, Genevieve reports on the effects of psychostimulants on the body. What information might she include in her speech?

A) Psychostimulant use leads to nerve impulse inhibition.
B) Psychostimulant use causes extreme drops in blood pressure.
C) Psychostimulant use greatly constricts airways.
D) Psychostimulant use causes hyperthermia.

Question 47

Ezra seeks treatment for his cocaine addiction. He is prescribed the medication disulfiram. Through which mechanism may disulfiram reduce the Ezra's chances of relapse?

A) By blocking D₂ receptors
B) By leading to reduced positive subjective effects
C) By causing Ezra to feel sick when he uses cocaine
D) By blocking Ezra's physiological cravings for cocaine

Question 48

A key form of psychostimulant tolerance is pharmacodynamic tolerance, caused in part by changes in dopamine D₂ receptor sensitivity. Describe the study by Barrett and colleagues (1992) demonstrating a link between D₂ receptors and repeated psychostimulant administration. Include in your answer a description of the experiments used in the study and an analysis of the results.

Question 49

Who is most likely to become addicted to psychostimulants?

A) Pedro, who has low levels of P450 enzymes and experiences heightened negative effects of drug
B) Shayla, who has low levels of P450 enzymes and experiences heightened positive effects of drug
C) Ayanna, who has high levels of P450 enzymes and experiences heightened negative effects of drug
D) Jack, who has high levels of P450 enzymes and experiences heightened positive effects of drug

Question 50

Tolerance to psychostimulants relies in part on changes in dopamine D₂ receptor sensitivity. This is an example of ____ tolerance.

A) pharmacovigilance
C) pharmacokinetic
B) pharmacogenetic
D) pharmacodynamic

Question 51

The reinforcing features of psychostimulants rely on the activation of dopamine D₂ receptors. For cocaine in particular, two other mechanisms are also responsible for its reinforcing properties: ____.

A) D₁ receptor activation and serotonin neurotransmission
B) D₁ receptor activation and acetylcholine neurotransmission
C) D₃ receptor activation and serotonin neurotransmission
D) D₃ receptor activation and acetylcholine neurotransmission

Question 52

Researchers have recently developed approaches for using vaccines to prevent psychostimulant relapse. How do these vaccines work?

A) They prevent psychostimulants from crossing the blood-brain barrier.
B) They block psychostimulant binding sites on dopamine receptors.
C) They cause quicker metabolism and elimination of psychostimulants.
D) They convert psychostimulant structures to inactive forms.

Question 53

Describe early uses of the psychostimulant drug cocaine, beginning with its use by indigenous populations. Include in your answer a discussion of how cocaine was introduction to Western culture and an analysis of prominent and popular views on cocaine usage during the late 1800s/early 1900s. Use specific examples from the text to support your answer.

Question 54

The withdrawal symptoms associated with psychostimulants primarily occur from ____,

A) psychological tolerance
C) psychological dependence
B) physical tolerance
D) physical dependence

Question 55

During her methamphetamine detoxification process, Alysson takes a drug that induces mild psychostimulant effects, providing a temporary safer substitute for meth use. What drug is Alysson likely taking?

A) modafinil
C) methcathinone
B) disulfiram
D) methylecgonidine

Question 56

To reduce her cravings for cocaine, Leeda is prescribed an antidepressant. Which type of antidepressant is Leeda most likely taking?

A) monoamine oxidase inhibitor
C) tricyclic antidepressant
B) norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor
D) serotonin reuptake inhibitor

Question 57

Why might an anticonvulsant drug be effective in preventing psychostimulant relapse?

A) Facilitates GABA neurotransmission
C) Facilitates dopamine neurotransmission
B) Disrupts GABA neurotransmission
D) Disrupts dopamine neurotransmission

Question 58

Psychostimulant drugs produce most of their physiological effects by activating the sympathetic nervous system. Which is an example of a physiological effect induced by psychostimulant administration?

A) Constricts pupils
C) Decreases heart rate
B) Inhibits digestion
D) Dilates blood vessels

Question 59

Liesl is experiencing withdrawal from methamphetamine. Which symptom is she most likely to experience?

A) nausea
C) sweating
B) dysphoria
D) headache

Question 60

How do self-administration experiments differ from drug-discrimination experiments?

A) Self-administration experiments measure subjective effects.
B) Self-administration experiments measure break points.
C) Self-administration experiments uses associative learning paradigms.
D) Self-administration experiments measure rodent behavior.