Central nervous system drugs

The drugs which affect the central nervous system are of two main types: those which stimulate the nerves in the brain and spinal cord, stimulants, and those which depress the nerves in the brain and spinal cord, depressants.

The central nervous system stimulants are used to speed up vital processes in cases of shock and collapse, and also to oppose the depressant effect of other drugs. Stimulants produce a temporary feeling of euphoria (well-being) and help to relieve lethargy. Examples of drug stimulants are caffeine and amphetamine (Benzedine). Amphetamines are much more powerful than caffeine and can produce restlessness, insomnia and nervousness as well as hypertension (high blood pressure) and gastrointestinal disorders when given in high doses. Used in excessive doses, these drugs can produce convulsions.

There are several types of central nervous system depressants. These include analgesics, hypnotics, sedatives and barbiturates, tranquilizers, anticonvulsants, alcohol and anesthetics.

Analgesics are agents which act to relieve pain. Examples of narcotic analgesics are opium, morphine, heroine, codeine, and meperidine. Narcotics are drugs which in moderate doses can suppress the central nervous system and relieve pain but in excessive doses produce unconsciousness, stupor, coma and possibly death. Most of narcotic analgesics are additive and habit-forming.

Sedatives are used to quiet and relax the patient without necessarily producing sleep. Some drugs act as sedatives in small doses and as hypnotics in large doses. Chloral hydrate (хлоралгидрат) is an example of another type of sedative. Depending on the dose and how it is administered, the response to a barbiturate may range from mild sedation to hypnosis and finally to general anesthesia.

Tranquilizers are drugs which alter behaviour, allowing for control of nervous symptoms such as anxiety, depression, fear or anger.

Anticonvulsant agents are used to treat epilepsy, a central nervous system disorder caused by abnormal electrical discharges within the brain which result in abnormal muscular movements, loss of consciousness and other symptoms.

Alcohol is another central nervous system depressant. It affects the cerebral cortex of the brain in several ways. One way is to block the processes which control or inhibit behaviour. This effect accounts for the talkativeness and lack of inhibition which accompany consumption of even small amounts of alcohol in some people. Alcohol is also used as a dilator of blood vessels in vascular disease and as a hypnotic.

Anesthetics are drugs which produce loss of sensation and particularly loss of appreciation of pain. General anesthetics produce loss of sensation throughout the entire body by depressing the central nervous system, producing sleep, unconsciousness and muscle relaxation.

Exercise 6. Answer the following questions:

1. What are the two main types of drugs which affect the central nervous system?

2. What are the central nervous system stimulants used to?

3. What do stimulants produce and help?

4. What are the side effects of amphetamines?

5. What are the main types of central nervous system depressants?

6. What can narcotics produce?

7. What are the hypnotic drugs?

8. What are the anticonvulsant agents used to?

9. How does alcohol affect the cerebral cortex?

10. What are anesthetics used for?

Exercise 7. Match the words with their definitions::

1. dose     2. addiction     3. tranquilizer     4. euphoria 5. pain   6. drug     7. symptom

a. is any substance that, when absorbed into the body of a living organism, alters normal bodily function. b. is medically recognized as a mental and emotional condition in which a person experiences intense feelings of well-being, elation, happiness, ecstasy, excitement and joy. c. is a substance that induces sedation by reducing irritability or excitement. d. is a departure from normal function or feeling which is noticed by a patient, indicating the presence of disease or abnormality. e. is defined as physical and/or psychological dependence on psychoactive substances (for example alcohol, tobacco, heroin, caffeine and other drugs) which cross the blood-brain barrier once ingested f. the quantity of something that may be eaten or administered to an organism g. is an unpleasant feeling often caused by intense or damaging stimuli, such as stubbing a toe, burning a finger, putting alcohol on a cut

Exercise 8. Give the English equivalents of the following words and word-combinations:

Спинний мозок, центральна нервова система, тимчасове відчуття ейфорії, тахікардія, безсоння, страх, серцево-судинні захворювання, навіть мала кількість, затьмарення свідомості, кров’яні судини, втрата свідомості, відчуття болю, вживання алкоголю, електричні розряди, стимулятори, прискорювати життєві процеси, надмірна доза, болезаспокійливі, кров’яний тиск, шлунково-кишкові розлади, кора головного мозку, що викликає звикання, злість, змінювати поведінку, депресанти, побічні дії, снодійне, відповідати за мову, м’язова релаксація, протисудомне.

Exercise 9. Complete the following sentences according to the text:

1. There are two main types of the drugs which affect the central nervous system: those which…

2. Central nervous system stimulants are used to speed up…

3. Examples of drug stimulants are…

4. Amphetamines are much more powerful than caffeine and can produce…

5. The examples of central nervous system depressants are…

6. Narcotics are drugs which in moderate doses can produce…

7. Tranquilizers are drugs which alter…

8. Anticonvulsant agents are used to treat…

9. Alcohol as another central nervous system depressant effects the…

10. Anesthetics are drugs which produce loss…

Exercise 10. Complete the sentences using must (not), could (not), have (not), should.

1. I’m afraid I can’t come tomorrow. I … work.

2. I … eat too much. I’m supposed to be on a diet.

3. The girl fell into the river but fortunately we … rescue her.

4. She … to wear glasses as she is short-sighted.

5. Don’t make so much noise. We … to wake the baby.

6. I looked everywhere for the book but I … find it.

7. Whatever you do, you … touch matches. It’s dangerous.

8. Sometimes doctors do not like their job as they … to work at weekends.

9. You … work hard to pass an exam in Chemistry and Biology.

10. Last night the child had a sudden attack of severe cough so we … to call in a doctor.

Exercise 11. Join two parts of the sentences:

1. The boy lay sleeping 2. While using a needle 3. Being very ill 4. Being busy 5. The specialists operating on the patients 6. Examining the patient 7. Translating the article 8. Realizing that he was wrong 9. Nobody standing there 10. Understanding that it will not help

a. he decided to postpone the meeting. b. he felt embarrassed. c. he realized that he had to give up. d. the doctor asked him many questions. e. she couldn’t understand some words. f. could do anything to save the man’s life. g. when the nurse came in. h. he told me to be careful not to prick a finger i. he didn’t attend lectures last week j. are called surgeons.

Exercise 12. Insert the missing prepositions:

1. Examples … drug stimulants are caffeine and amphetamine.

2. Central nervous system stimulants are used to speed up vital processes … cases of shock and collapse.

3. Used … excessive doses, theses drugs can produce convulsions.

4. Analgesics are agents … act to relieve pain.

5. Narcotics are drugs which … moderate doses, can suppress the central nervous system.

6. Sedatives are used to quiet and relax the patient … necessarily producing sleep.

7. Tranquilizers are drugs which alter behaviour, allowing … control of nervous symptoms such as anxiety, fear or anger.

8. Alcohol affects the cerebral cortex of the brain … several ways.

Exercise 13. Open the brackets using the verbs in a correct form:

1. Acute gastritis (to occur) due to a great variety of causes.

2. By the end of the day both the X-ray examination and ECG (to show) the changes in the size of the heart and its functions.

3. Much progress (to achieve) in treating bronchial asthma for the last few years.

4. If a common bile obstruction (to develop), jaundice (to occur).

5. The patient (not to develop) severe anemia, if he (not to suffer) from profuse abdominal bleeding because of a bad injury.

6. The surgeon said that the patient (to operate) on next week.

7. I (to talk) with your doctor for half an hour before you came in.

8. The problem of cerebral vascular diseases (to become) increasingly serious nowadays because of severe nervous tension.

Exercise 14. Make up questions to the underlined words:

1. This hypothesis has attracted many followers.

2. They were known to be the patients with duodenal ulcer.

3. We have learnt the functions of skeletal muscles this month.

4. We were observing how these salts were dissolving in water.

5. After the sutures are removed, the surgeon has to examine the wound.

6. The bite of a dog leads to rabies.

7. AIDS is known to be an incurable disease affecting the internal vital organs of the body.

8. Despite technical advances the number of patients with hepatic metastasis remains high.

9. Recurrence of the disease means of a disease means return of symptoms after a temporary absence.

10. Due to suddenly occurred diarrhea the patient was directed to the hospital for examination and treatment.

Exercise 15. Describe the following words in 5 sentences:

Stimulants, depressants

Дата добавления: 2015-10-29