Psychedelics: PCP

A condition where breathing is slowed or impaired, often occurring due to high doses of PCP.

Fluid buildup in the lungs, a serious complication associated with high PCP doses.

Uncontrolled electrical activity in the brain, a potential risk of high PCP doses.

A state where the body's response to a drug is reduced, requiring higher doses to achieve the same effect.

The development of an intense desire and compulsive use of a drug, often despite negative consequences.

A situation where the body becomes physically dependent on a drug, leading to withdrawal symptoms when use is stopped.

A range of symptoms experienced when stopping a drug abruptly, which may include cravings, anxiety, and physical discomfort.

A mental health condition impacting mood, such as sadness, hopelessness, and loss of interest in life.

The process of washing out the stomach contents to remove ingested substances.

A class of medications used to treat psychosis, characterized by delusions and hallucinations.

PCP is a synthetic drug that was initially developed as an anesthetic but was discontinued due to adverse effects during recovery.

The effects of PCP can last for up to 3 days, and can be detected in urine for even longer periods.

PCP acts as an antagonist to the NMDA receptor, blocking the activity of glutamate and aspartate.

PCP's blockade of NMDA receptors indirectly increases dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens, an area associated with reward and pleasure.

PCP is commonly ingested orally, snorted intranasally, smoked, or injected.

PCP can cause confusion, disorientation, agitation, and hallucinations in users.

Users of PCP may experience memory loss, making it difficult to recall events while intoxicated.

Active PCP metabolites can be found in the liver, prolonging and intensifying the drug's effects.

PCP's effects often last for 4-6 hours, but some users report effects persisting for days or weeks.

PCP is no longer used medically due to adverse effects on humans, but is primarily used recreationally.

The prefrontal cortex is responsible for higher-level cognitive functions like planning, decision-making, and complex thought processes.

The basal ganglia are a group of structures involved in movement control, motivation, and reward processing.

PCP inhibits the reuptake of serotonin, leading to increased levels in the brain. This enhances mood and contributes to hallucinogenic effects.

PCP partially activates opiate receptors, contributing to pain relief and potential feelings of euphoria.

PCP activates adenosine receptors, which are involved in sedation, pain perception, and neural inhibition. This adds to its complex effects.

PCP's primary effect on the NMDA receptor results in a feeling of detachment from reality.

PCP's serotonin reuptake inhibition and altered cortical activity lead to visual and auditory hallucinations.

PCP's dopamine increase and opiate receptor activity contribute to feelings of euphoria.

PCP's opiate receptor agonism contributes to its pain-relieving effects.

PCP's altered dopamine and NMDA activity impair learning, memory, and decision-making.

High doses of PCP can lead to widespread death of brain cells in animal studies, suggesting potential long-term cognitive and neurological damage.

Antipsychotics (like Haldol) help manage delusions and agitation, barbiturates or benzodiazepines calm restlessness, and gastric lavage removes PCP from the stomach.

PCP users develop cravings and continue using despite harm. There's no clear evidence of physical withdrawal in humans.

Tolerance to PCP develops within 2-3 weeks of daily use, meaning you need more to get the same effect. This doesn't happen to the anti-convulsant effects at low doses.

PCP can slow fetal growth, cause premature labor, and lead to fetal distress. Infants can have muscle stiffness, irritability, and attention problems.

PCP is metabolized in the liver into active metabolites. These metabolites prolong and intensify the drug's effects by interacting with the central nervous system (CNS), contributing to extended behavioral and psychological effects.

The half-life of PCP is long, lasting up to 3 days, so it's detectable in urine for several days. This means that even after the initial effects wear off, traces of the drug can be detected in the body.

PCP's blockade of NMDA receptors indirectly increases dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens. This brain region is associated with reward and pleasure, contributing to PCP's potential for euphoria and dependence.

PCP can be ingested orally, snorted as a powder, smoked (often sprinkled on cigarettes or cannabis), or injected (though less common).

PCP can cause partial or total memory loss for events and actions during intoxication. This retrograde amnesia makes it difficult for users to recall their behavior during the high.

PCP's effects typically last for 4-6 hours but reports suggest they can linger for days or even weeks in some individuals. This prolonged effect can be due to the presence of active metabolites in the body.

PCP's effects can vary widely and are influenced by factors such as dosage, route of administration, individual tolerance, and previous drug use. Effects can range from mild euphoria to paranoia and aggression.