Rules of the Day 320N

Click here for a copy of the lectures notes I wrote in class

Click here for a copy of the handouts I used in class today

You are not responsible for anything discussed below but I hope you will remember it:

1. Energy drinks work by having 200-300 mgs of caffeine (resemples the AMP molecule) to turn off your drowsiness signal, combined with B vitamins that activate ATP production.

2. Fentanyl is more dangerous than narcotics isolated from plants like heroin and cocaine because fentanyl is too easy to make and it is so much more potent, you do not need to transport very much material (it is too easy to hide).

3. Fentanyl binds to the mu-opioid receptor to provide a sense of euphoria (it is therefore a mu opioid agonist), but fentanyl also leads to release of A LOT of dopamine in many people, explaining why it is so addictive.

4. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS BLACK MARKET ADDERRAL OR XANAX, THEY ARE ALL FAKE. THEY ONLY CONTAIN METHAMPHETAMINE AND FENTANYL. THESE FAKE PHARMACEUTICALS CAN KILL YOU! THEY HAVE KILLED OTHER LONGHORNS INCLUDING JAKE ELLINGER! 2 Milligrams of fentanyl will kill you. It is 150 times more potent than heroin.

5. Narcan (naloxone) is an antagonist of the mu-opioid receptor, it binds to the receptor but does not activate it or release dopamine. It binds to tightly that it can occupy all of the mu opioid binding sites and rescue a person who has OD'd on fentanyl and stopped breathing, provided it is given as a nasal spray soon enough.

6. Each of you should carry some Narcan, you can get it at the PCL circulation desk, free of charge. You just might save a life!

7. Endogenous opioids such as endorphins, enkephalins, and dynorphins normally act at mu, delta, and kappa receptors to modulate pain, basic drives, and mood by reducing neuronal excitability. Heroin, morphine, and related drugs hijack this system by binding mainly to mu receptors, directly producing euphoria and indirectly boosting dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens by suppressing GABAergic inhibition in the ventral tegmental area. With chronic use, compensatory upregulation of cAMP signaling makes neurons hyperactive in the drug’s absence, driving withdrawal, craving, and the persistence of opioid addiction.

8. Dopamine is THE positive and negative reward system in our brain, it is how we learn. Overstimulation with high dopamine from drugs, alcohol, gambling, video games, etc., causes an abnormal decrease in both the positive (D1) and negative (D2) receptors. In fact, there is a greater loss in D2 receptor activity with chronic overstimulation with dopamine. Long term misuse makes it so ONLY the substance or behavior releases enough dopamine to be experienced (all "normal" experiences are not rewarded so not pursued) and all negative consequences CANNOT be predicted or experienced because D2 receptor activity is so low. The combination will explain the catastrophic and self-destructive behavior of individuals abusing substances or behaviors like gambling.

Homework:

No more reading assignments this semester!!
Many students have difficulty understanding how to think about "equivalents", how to balance certain equations like the Claisen condensation, what do we mean by H3O+ and knowing when to use hydroxide versus ethoxide. Here are some short videos to help you with any of these: How to think about "Equivalents" when using base in enolate reactions (7:17 minutes) Correct video for How to think about "Equivalents" when using base in enolate reactions (3:29 minutes) How to balance a Claisen reaction equation (5:06 minutes) What do we mean by H3O+ (2:52 minutes) When to use NaOH vs. NaOEt (7:35 minutes)
There is no daily more daily quizes!

When you are ready you can work on a practice homework that will help you prepare for the final. You will not turn it in. Click here for the questions and click here for the answers.