Assignment

Drugs of abuse effect one of three steps of synaptic transmission, elimination, reuptake, and degradation. Please include the following in your response.

• Identify a drug of abuse that selectively targets each one of these steps.

• Describe the drug of abuse, the symptoms it causes, and its mechanism of actions (i.e. how it impairs synaptic transmission). Please include what neurotransmitter it affects.

• If you had to design a drug that would reverse your drug effects, how would you do it? Describe in detail how the drug would work. Be creative!

NOTE: A different drug of abuse and neurotransmitter has to be identified for each step. Potential drugs of abuse include but not limited to, caffeine, cocaine, heroin, marijuana,nicotine, etc.

Use the space provided to answer all the questions. No partial credit will be given. You have to answer all three questions to be given full credit. Write out your answers in complete sentences. Please cite the references you used to help you answer the questions.

1. Elimination

Drug of abuse: _____________________

Neurotransmitter affected: ___________________

How does the drug work:

Symptoms of drug of abuse:

Design of new drug to combat drug of abuse:

2. Reuptake

Drug of abuse:_____________________

Neurotransmitter affected:_____________________

How does the drug work:

Symptoms of drug of abuse:

Design of new drug to combat drug of abuse:

3. Elimination

Drug of abuse:_____________________

Neurotransmitter affected:_____________________

How does the drug work:

Symptoms of drug of abuse:

Design of new drug to combat drug of abuse:

4. References.