The biological approach to smoking addiction

Question 1

What is initiation for the biological approach to smoking?

Answer 1

• Genes - Genes contribute 53% of the risk of taking up smoking
• Dopamine receptors - The VTA (central regimental area) has receptors that respond to nicotine. Nicotine attaches to the NA (nucleus accumbens). This causes the smoker to get a ‘buzz’ .

Question 2

WhT is the maintenance of the biological approach to smoking?

Answer 2

Role of dopamine- smoking releases dopamine in the NA which causes a reward of a buzz to occur. Smokers get pleasure from this buzz and want to replicate it which causes them to maintain the addiction
- Nicotine regulation - smoke to maintain the nicotine in bloodstream to activate dopamine and maintain the buzz to avoid withdrawal symptoms

Question 3

Why do people relapse biological approach to smoking?

Answer 3

Negative reinforcement- start smoking again to avoid nicotine withdrawal symptoms (anxiety)
Tolerance - after a short time of not smoking nicotine levels go down and the smoker has to replenish the microtome on there blood stream to they crave another cigarette. Over time (weeks and months) the effects on the dopamine receptors diminishes and the person has to smoke more to achieve the sensations that they got when they started smoking.

Question 4

What was the aim of Vink et all 2005 study?

Answer 4

To see if genetic risk factors contribute to smoking inhalation and nicotine dependence

Question 5

What was the procedure of Vink et all 2005 study?

Answer 5

Use of the Netherlands twin register 5 time from 1991 - 2000
868 MZ and 704 DZ twins
They completed the Fagerstrok test for nicotine addiction (FIND) (How difficult do you find it to not smoke in areas where you’re not allowed to smoke?)

Question 6

What was the fundings of Vink et all 2005 study?

Answer 6

For smoking initiation 56% of the starting was explained by the environment . For dependence on nicotine 75% was explained by genetic factors

Question 7

What was the conclusions of Vink et all 2005 study?

Answer 7

Genetic factors make a substantial contribution to the starting of smoking and ongoing smoking dependence

Question 8

What are the weaknesses of the study?

Answer 8

The results from the test may have a response bias -people might not want to appear to be addicts so lie making the study less accurate