6B: Drugs of Abuse

Question 1

What is another term for the reward pathway?
Regulated by?
What does this pathway include?

Answer 1

mesolimbic p athway/ Regulated by dopamine

Ventral tegmental area ( VTA), amygdala, nucleus accumbens, hippocampus, prefrontal cortex

Question 2

Function

a) Ventral tegmental area
b) Amygdala
c) Nucleus accumbens
d) Hippocampus
e) prefrontal cortex

Answer 2

VTA: produce dopamine
Amygdala: produce emotion 
Nucleus accumbens: control motor function
Hippocampus: memory formation 
Prefrontal cortex: focus attention

Question 3

Explain the reward pathway

Answer 3

VTA releases dopamine and receptors uptake dopamine
Amygdala says it is tasty
Hippocampus remembers the taste of the bite
Nucleus accumbens say let’s take another bite
Prefrontal cortex focuses attention on it

Question 4

What is methadone used for?

Mechanism of it

Answer 4

used to treat opioid addiction

Cause slow activation of opiate receptors–> decreasing high and decreasing withdrawal symptoms

Question 5

How to treat nicotine addiction?

Mechanism

Answer 5

Nicotine replacement therapy

Deliver low level of nicotine to reduce craving and withdrawal symptoms

Question 6

Which therapy is used for cognitive distortions and behaviors

Answer 6

Cognitive behavior therapy is a form of talk therapy focused on cognitive distortions and behavior to change thinking pattern

Question 7

What is a motivational interview?

Answer 7

“person-centered” approach to behavior change, where clinicians identify intrinsic motivation to change and help them address ambivalence

Question 8

What is a 12 step program?

Answer 8

Group therapy to overcome addiction

Question 9

What are three key ideas for the 12 step program?

Answer 9

Acceptance=accknowledge addiction is a probrem
Surrender= accept help offered through group and higher power
Active involvement= help other addicts

Question 10

Relapse

Answer 10

when a patient can slip and go back–> it is hard to stay clean

Question 11

What are depressants? 3 examples

Answer 11

decrease arousal and brain stimulation: calmative,
sleep-inducing, anxiety-inducing, and anesthetizing
GABA receptors
alcohol, barbiturate, and benzodiazepines

Question 12

What are stimulants? 4 examples

Answer 12

Increase arousal and activity in the nervous system
Dopamine receptors
caffeine, cocaine, nicotine, and amphetamine

Question 13

What are hallucinogens? 4 examples

Answer 13

Cause hallucination changes perception, thought, and consciousness
5HT serotonin receptors
Mescaline, LSD, DMT, and psilocybin

Question 14

Opiate vs opioid

Answer 14

Natural vs synthetic: decrease sensation of pain
Opioid receptor
decrease CNS function, HR/BP, and induce sleep

Question 15

Intoxification

Answer 15

physical and mental impairment due to the influence of drugs

Question 16

What are two types of withdrawal? Define each

Answer 16

acute withdrawal: physical withdrawal ( few weeks)
post-acute withdrawal ( up to 2 years) : emotional and psychological withdrawal: sleep difficulities, anxiety, impaired concentration

Question 17

Substance-induced disorders

Answer 17

Disorders caused by substance, such as disorder relating mood, anxiety, sleep

Question 18

Substance-used disorders

Answer 18

Significant impairment in life at work/school/home due to substance use
Usage patterns = failing to meet expectations, frequent cravings
Withdrawal symptoms are common

Question 19

symptoms of alcohol withdrawal?

Drug to treat

Answer 19

begin 4-12 hours, peak at 2 days, improve after 4-5 days
symptoms: hand tremors, delirium tremens, insomnia, and fever
Treat with benzodiazepine

Question 20

Receptor-down regulation

Answer 20

Repeated exposure of receptor to ligand results in fewer

available receptors

Question 21

Receptor-up regulation

Answer 21

More available receptors as a result of decreased exposure of receptors to ligand

Question 22

Physical dependence comprises of

Answer 22

Neurochemical changes
withdrawal symptoms: tremor, headache, nausea,
tolerance: larger doses required for the same effects

Question 23

psychological dependence:

Answer 23

Comprised of cravings, anxiety, panic and anhedonia

Question 24

Cross-tolerance

Answer 24

Tolerance to one drug results in changes in tolerance to another drug