3.1.2 Dopamine & addicton

Question 1

what is dopamine?

Answer 1

neurotransmitter involved in learning and pleasure

Question 2

what are high levels of dopamine associated with?

Answer 2

addictions and positive symptoms of schizopohrenia

Question 3

dopamine was associated with addiction through research on what animals?

Answer 3

rats

Question 4

what is the prefrontal cortex part of?

Answer 4

frontal lobe

Question 5

what is the prefrontal cortex involved in?

Answer 5

cognitive functions, memory, language, planning and decision making

Question 6

what is the nucleus accumbens and what does it do?

Answer 6

small region at the front of the brain which helps regulate survival drives (food, thirst)

Question 7

the nucleus accumbens is not only associated with survival drives but also…

Answer 7

motivation and rewards

Question 8

what is the nucleus accumbens affected by?

Answer 8

drugs such as cocaine, cannabis and heroin

Question 9

where is the ventral tegmental area (VTA) found?

Answer 9

the midbrain

Question 10

what does the ventral tegmental area produce and form?

Answer 10

dopamine

one of major dopamine pathways in the brain

Question 11

what is the VTA affected by?

Answer 11

drugs, nicotine, alcohol and heroin

Question 12

when using an addictive substance what is activate in the VTA?

Answer 12

dopamine neurones

Question 13

neurones then project to the nucleus accumbens via what?

Answer 13

the mesolimbic dopamine pathway

Question 14

what does the activation of the nucleus accumbens cause?

Answer 14

increased dopamine levels

Question 15

the mesolimbic dopamine system is also known as the pleasure centre what does it induce when activated?

Answer 15

feelings of euphoria

Question 16

how could the mesolimbic dopamine pathway be explained in terms of evolutionary behaviours?

Answer 16

reward system acts as a source of positive reinforcement encouraging behaviours that help survival and reproduction

Question 17

addictive behaviours and substances trigger the release of dopamine in the 1. _______ leading to a sense of pleasure in the 2._______

Answer 17

1. VTA - ventral tegmental area

2. NA - nucleus accumbens

Question 18

Volkow suggested the mesolimbic dopamine pathway is the starting point for what?

Answer 18

an addiction

Question 19

but, what turns the behaviour into an addiction? (volkow)

Answer 19

the changes the mesolimbic dopamine pathway causes changes in the frontal cortex

Question 20

what functions are associated with the frontal cortex?

Answer 20

decision making
memory
language
problem solving

Question 21

we can se changes in the frontal lobes circuits which usually decide what?

Answer 21

what we pay attention to

Question 22

due to the attention we pay to it the brain attaches what to the behaviour?

Answer 22

too much importance

Question 23

so the dopamine system makes the individual want to do what?

Answer 23

engage in the addictive behaviour

Question 24

overtime what can long term drug use do to the activity of the dopamine reward system?

Answer 24

reduce its activity

Question 25

this decrease in activity is caused by D2 dopamine receptors doing what?

Answer 25

decreasing in number

becoming less sensitive to the effects of a substance/ behaviour

Question 26

due to reduced activity more of what is needed?

Answer 26

activity to provide the same mood modification

Question 27

due to changes in the brain if the individual stops the behaviour what will they experience?

Answer 27

withdrawal symptoms e.g. sweating, mood swings, cold shakes, vomiting, insomnia, depression

Question 28

how does negative reinforcement apply to relapse?

Answer 28

by continuing the addiction you are removing something unpleasant (withdrawal symptoms)