Assignment

Topic: “Brief report on various types of CNS stimulants”

Introduction

Stimulants are a type of drug that alters activity within the central and peripheral nervous
systems. Most stimulants have an effect on blood pressure, heart rate, and alertness. Some
drugs within this category have immense therapeutic value, while some have no clinical
application.

TYPES OF STIMULANTS

1. Central nervous system stimulants can be divided into three groups

based on effects produce-
➢ Convulsants and Respiratory Stimulants: Bicuculline, Picrotoxin, Pentylenetetrazol,
and Doxapram are the drugs of this group. These drugs have no clinical application and
are often used in poisons, in intensive care settings, and for research. Their mechanism
of action is unknown.
➢ Psychotomimetic Drugs/ Hallucinogens: These drugs produce hallucinations by
altering the perception of the surrounding environment. Drugs in this group include
lysergic acid, psilocybin, and mescaline.
➢ Psychomotor Stimulants: These psychotropic medications stimulate the central nervous
system (CNS) by boosting the release of certain chemicals in the brain. They include:
✓ Adderall (amphetamine and dextroamphetamine)
✓ Dexedrine (dextroamphetamine)
✓ Ritalin (methylphenidate)
Other stimulant drugs include cocaine, methylxanthines (theophylline and caffeine),
nicotine, and vareniciline.

It should be noted that nearly all psychotropic prescription medications produce better results
for people in treatment if they are paired with a type of psychotherapy. Psychotherapy can
help a person address the emotions, triggers, and behaviors associated with mental health
conditions, in addition to helping them develop positive coping strategies that can
dramatically improve a person’s quality of life.

2.Based on the site of action CNS stimulation are classified into three
types-

➢ Cerebral stimulants:
A type of drug that increases the levels of certain chemicals in the brain and increases
alertness, attention, energy, and physical activity. CNS stimulants also raise blood
pressure and increase heart rate and breathing rate. There is an overview of cerebral
stimulants-

➢
➢ Medullary stimulants
They are also called as analeptics cns stimulants. They stimulate vitally important
centres of the brain. The primary medical use of these drug is an anesthetic recovery tool
or treat emergency respiratory depression. Hence they are also called respiratory
stimulant. There is an overview of medullary stimulants-

➢
➢ Spinal cord stimulants

Stimulants are a class of drugs that “stimulate” the body's central nervous system, which
includes the brain and spinal cord. They increase the levels of catecholamines—a family of
brain chemicals that includes dopamine. These chemicals are used in the brain processes to
signal reward and motivation. There is an overview of spinal cord stimulants-