Addiction - Biological Approach

Question 0

Initiation of Gambling - genetics
Shah et al
Black et al

Answer 0

Pathological gambling runs in families
Twin study by Shah et al - evidence of genetic transmission of gambling in men
Black et al - first degree relatives of pathological gamblers were more likely to suffer from pathological gambling than distant relatives

Question 1

Diagnostic criteria of gambling
1
2
3

Answer 1

DSM-IV-TR
LOSS OF CONTROL
PROGRESSIVE INCREASE OF GAMBLING FREQUENCY, TIME SPENT THINKING ABOUT GAMBLING
CONTINUE TO GAMBLE DESPITE NEGATIVE REPERCUSSIONS ON THEIR LIFE

Question 2

Maintenance of Gambling - pituary-adrenal response

Paris et al

Answer 2

Gambling may be associated with an underachiever pituary adrenal response to gambling stimuli
Paris et al - measured gamblers cortisol levels before and after watching gambling video, and a neutral video.
Pathological gamblers showed no cortisol increase in response to either video whereas recreational gamblers showed expected increase

Question 3

Maintenance of Gambling - sensation seeking

Answer 3

Zuckerman - individual differences in the need for stimulation
Sensation seekers look for varied or novel experiences
High sensation seekers have a lower appreciation of risk and anticipate arousal as more positive than do low sensation seekers so they are more likely to gamble

Question 4

Gambling Relapse - Boredom avoidance

Answer 4

They still need intense stimulation
Poor tolerance to boredom may contribute to repetitive gambling behaviour.
Pathological gamblers had higher boredom proneness scores than control group
No significant differences between types of gambling

Question 5

Initiation of smoking - genetics

Vink et al

Answer 5

Family and twin studies estimate the heritability of tobacco smoking to be between 39% and 80%.
Vink et al - large scale study of Dutch twins
Individual differences in Smoking initiation
Genetic 44%
Environmental 56%

Question 6

Maintenance of smoking - nicotine

Vink et al

Answer 6

Nicotine dependence was influenced by genetic factors by 75%.
So regular tobacco use is linked more strongly to individual differences in nicotine metabolism
Nicotine use activates receptors in brain which lead to release of dopamine (short lived pleasure feelings) then bad mood and concentration as nicotine levels drop so smokers repeat the cycle

Question 7

Maintenance of smoking - prenatal exposure

Answer 7

Research suggests that mothers who smoked heavily while pregnant were more likely to have children who would be more likely become addicted to smoking

Question 8

Smoking Relapse
Xian et al
Uhl et al

Answer 8

Twin studies - genetic influences
Xian et al - 54% of the risk for quit failure could be attributed to heritability
Uhl et al - specific gene clusters associated with quit success and nicotine dependence

Question 9

Smoking during pregnancy?

Answer 9

Buka et al - women who smoked during pregnancy more than doubled the risk of their child being dependent on nicotine should they start smoking. large scale study of women aged 17-39 between 1959-66

Question 10

Explaining individual differences in gambling addiction

Answer 10

Explains why some become addicted and others do not as some are more genetically vulnerable and thus predisposed
Also explains why some are more resistant to treatment than others and more likely to relapse

Question 11

Gambling - Environmental and situational factors ignored, what are they?
Is there a combination?

Answer 11

Accessibility, incentives, social context, (peer pressure, bets), alcoholic drinks
Addictive gambling may be a product of biological factors, which may predispose them to excessive gambling, plus external factors

Question 12

Explanatory limitations - why are some types of gambling more addictive than others?
Breen and Zimmerman

Answer 12

Breen and Zimmerman - men and women who got hooked on video gambling became compulsive gamblers in about one year
Betting and horses took longer to develop

Question 13

Supporting research evidence for smoking with a genetic influence?

Suggestion that genetic factors may not determine smoking initiation but make it more likely that some smokers will become dependent on nicotine once they do start smoking.

Answer 13

Specific gene variant on chromosome 15 that influenced the number of cigarettes smoked per day, nicotine dependence and the risk of developing smoking related diseases.
Those who smoked less than ten cigarettes a day were less likely to have these variant gene

Question 14

Limitations of biological explanations of smoking

Neglect other possibilities

Answer 14

Neglect other determining factors such as social context.

Possibility of it being treated with pharmacological methods if it is biological

Question 15

Implications for treatment
Screening
Gartner et al

Answer 15

Can screen people to find the gene, who can then be advised to change their behaviour or seek treatment
Gartner et al - screening unlikely to be successful as only small associations have been made so far

Question 16

Biological explanations to smoking and gambling are reductionist because

Answer 16

They reduce a complex theme down to simple levels of explanations such as an Imbalance of brain chemicals
Ignores other possible factors that may be a danger - irrational thought processes, social context

Question 17

Two types of gamblers? What are they?

Answer 17

Passive groups to avoid boredom and unpleasant emotional states
Active groups who gamble for the arousal