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Drugs and Behaviour Psychology - Part 2 Lecture Notes
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Drugs and Behaviour Psychology - Part 2 Lecture Notes
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Drugs and Behaviour - Andy ParrottLecture 2: CNS Stimulants – 4th October 2016
CNS Stimulants: Overview
- Amphetamine: Historical introduction, behavioural effects, basic neurochemistry,
clinical uses, recreational aspects.
- Cocaine: Broadly similar to amphetamine.
- Caffeine: In tea and coffee, an untypical stimulant.
- Clinical uses of CNS stimulants.
- MDMA/ecstasy is an amphetamine derivative that is covered in a separate lecture.
Cocaine is a plant extract whereas amphetamine is a laboratory product but both have very
similar effects.
Amphetamine: Historical Origins
Ephedrine vulgaris: It is a different drug but was an herbal remedy used in Chine for many
centuries. In 1924, the active ingredient ephedrine was isolated from the ‘ma huang’ plant.
Asthma: It was prescribed for asthma as it widened the bronchioles which allowed
for easier breathing. It was clinically effective. Nicotine was also recommended for
asthmatics, for similar reasons.
Pharmaceutical companies: There were CNS side effects and did not only target the
bronchioles so searched for an ephedrine substitute to maintain finance. They were
worried about the socio-political reliability of supplies from China. Amphetamine was
then rediscovered.
1930s: Amphetamine became widely available as a general tonic and antidepressant,
prescriptions were not required and it was not thought of as problematic or
addictive.
o However, it does have addictive properties and the problem is when the drug
is no longer used, the effects are reversed and so no longer used for asthma,
not a long-term solution.
, 1940s: Given to the armed forces in the USA, UK, Germany, Japan and other
countries.
o Seashore and Ivory (1953): Soldiers were given amphetamines to stay awake
for a longer period of time. It was called a vitamin to the soldiers but was
actually a stimulant. Reaction times and other psychomotor task performances
were assessed following trials of amphetamines, methamphetamine, caffeine
or a placebo, in order to measure whether vigilance was maintained. There
were effects found on tank driving, digging foxholes and forced marches at
night. Some benefits were found, although many assessment measures were
not significantly improved by the active drugs.
Post-war problems: Stimulant addiction in Japan and Sweden which was resolved
with severe restrictions on manufacture and distribution of the drug.
USA 1950s: Barbiturates were given to aid in sleeping at night and then
amphetamines were given to become more alert in the morning. This pattern
became widespread, particularly in medical students and long distance truck drivers.
Dependency on these two types of drug.
Athletics: Smith and Beecher (1959) – Studied US college athletes who had gotten
scholarships on the basis of their high sporting ability. The athletes were either given
a placebo or 14mg amphetamine. There was a highly significant increase in athletic
ability for sports that required a rapid sprint or swim. There was less of an increase in
endurance sports. This then made the ban for amphetamine use in sport by the
International Olympic Committee.
B-52 USAF nuclear bomb aircrew: McKenzie (1995) – These planes are up in the air
for large amounts of time in one go, e.g. 12 hours, and so this is highly boring and
difficult for air crew. It was found that 64% of the crew were given amphetamines
and 70% were given barbiturates. It was realised that amphetamines were one of the
worst things to be given to military men as it makes people alert, irritable, nervous
etc. This study led to the withdrawal of medication and led to more appropriate
schedules to ensure that the men had sufficient sleep hours and time to become
alert before beginning next shift.
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