Psychoactive Drugs and States of Consciousness

1. Read THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE HIGH. How do drugs influence the synapse? What region of the
brain is greatly influenced by drugs?






2.Looktotheright.ReadTHEBRAINSCOPINGMECHANISM.Howdoesthebraincompensatewhe
n
peopleusedrugs?






3.Scrolldown.CheckoutthesectioncalledCHANGESLASTLONGAFTERUSE.Completetheexercis
e.Whatdidyoulearn?IfyouneedareviewonPETSCANS,pleasecheckoutHOWPETSCANSCA
NMEASUREBRAINACTIVITY.




4.Lookleft.ReadHARDWIRINGANADDICTandthenclickonTHEBRAINSOTHERPATHWAYS.

Dopamine:


Serotonin:


GlutamateandGaba:

Psychoactive Drugs and States of Consciousness

Return to main page and click on How PET Scans Can Measure Brain Activity and complete the
following questions.


1) What does MRI stand for?




2) What is the importance of glucose in PET scans?



3) What do PET scans show?



4) Explain how MRI and fMRI scans work?



5) How are MRI scans different from PET scans?

5.Return to the previous page and scrolltothetoprighthandsideofthepage.

ClickonEXPLOREDRUGSOFABUSEandcompletethischart.

Name of Drug How
Taken
Nick
Names
FactsBelow is the Information You Need

ClassificationEffectsonBodyEffects
onBrainWithdrawalSymptomsAddictiv
eProperties
Alcohol

Cocaine

Hallucinogens

Heroin


Name of Drug How
Taken
Nick
Names
Facts

ClassificationEffectsonBodyEffects
onBrainWithdrawalSymptomsAddictiv
eProperties
Inhalants

Marijuana

MDMA

Meth


6.ScrolltothebottomandclickonDEATHBYOVERDOSE:HOWDRUGSCANK
ILL.CompletethefollowingchartandtellmeHOWTHESEDRUGSCANKILL.

Polydrug Cocktails
Heroin and Opiates
Alcohol Nicotine
Cocaine Amphetamine, Meth and MDMA



Now head back to the main page

7.ScrolltothetopandclickonEXPLORE:MOUSEPARTY.Mousepartyisdesignedtoprovide
asmallglimpseintothechemicalinteractionsatthesynapticlevelthatcausethedruguserto
feelhigh.Navigatethroughthemousepartyandanswerthefollowingquestions.

Eddie the Ecstasy Mouse

1)Whenthetransportertakesintheecstasy,whatdoesitdowiththeexcess
serotonin?

2)Howdoesecstasycausethehigh?Inotherwords,howdoesitoverstimulatethe

receptors?





3)Whataretheserotoninpathwaysresponsibleforthatecstasyeffects?

Annie the Alcohol Mouse
1)GABANeurotransmittersareresponsibleforwhat?

2)WhattwothingshappenwhenAlcoholentersthebrain?



3)Whyismemoryaffectedwhenpeopledrinktoomuch?


Carter the Cocaine Mouse
1)Whathappenswhencocaineblocksthedopaminetransporters?

2)Whyarecocaineuserssofidgety?

Miley the Marijuana Mouse
1)Cannabinoidreceptorsturnoffthereleaseofwhat?

2)WhatdoesTHCdo?




3)HowareTHCandanandamidesimilar?Howaretheydifferent?



4)Name2partsofthebrainmarijuanaaffects.


Lucy the LSD Mouse
1)WhydoesLSDhavecomplexsensoryeffects?

2)WhatistheLCandwhatdoesitdo?

Max the Meth Mouse

1)HowdoesMethgetintoyourbodyscells?

2)Whatdoestheexcessdopamineendupdoing?






3)WhyisMethsoaddictive?