adictia

Question 1

What is addiction?

Answer 1

The compulsive seeking, and then obtaining of a substance or object.
it is a dependency because the way people behave is dominated by the idea of obtaining the object of addiction.

Question 2

Why does addiction occur?

Answer 2

Drugs’ cumulative use disrupts neurotransmission.

Question 3

What are the 6 features of addiction?

Answer 3

1. Salience: the object of addiction dominated our thoughts and actions.
2. Tolerance: increasing the dose
3. Craving
4. Withdrawal symptoms: changes in mood
5. Conflict: between the addicted and other people
6. Relapse: use of drugs after trying to stop

Question 4

How are genes involved in addiction?

Answer 4

Children of alcoholics have 4-fold increase in the likelihood of becoming alcoholics themselves compared to children born to non-alcoholics

Question 5

How is environment involved in addiction?

Answer 5

The sight of a place related to drugs can release dopamine in the pleasure pathway.
Then the brain seeks to obtain the drug - this is craving.

Question 6

How drugs alter neurotransmission?

Answer 6

Some drugs mimic neurotransmitters.
Heroin chemically resembles the brain’s natural opioids, which control pain, mood, hunger and thirst.
Heroin stimulate many more receptors than the brain natural opioids.
This results in massive opioid activity, producing a euphoric feeling.

Question 7

How else do drugs alter neutransmitters?

Answer 7

Some drugs intervene with the sending and receiving of neurotransmitters.
Cocaine attaches to dopamine transporters, blocking them. This means dopamine can’t be reabsorbed into the sending cell.
Extra dopamine in the synapse
Leads to a more intense and longer-lasting pleasure or reward signal than would naturally occur.

Question 8

What is the wanting-and-liking theory?

Answer 8

Wanting and liking rely on 2 different brain systems:

Wanting: mesolimbic pathways
Liking: brainstem

Wanting and liking a drug go in opposite directions with repeated use.

Question 9

What is drug tolerence?

Answer 9

Adjustments to compensate for drug-induced increases in the intensity of NT signalling.

Question 10

What are the neural changes that occur?

Answer 10

The brain is rewired
In some brain regions, connections between neurones are pruned back.
In others, neurones form more connections.

E.g.: ecstasy damages axons that release serotonin so serotonin neurotransmission is disrupted

Question 11

Which 3 main types of NT play an important role in addiction?

Answer 11

Dopamine, serotonin and noradrenaline

Question 12

Is addiction more likely in people with ADHD?

Answer 12

People with ADHD are 3-5 times more likely to experience addiction