Addiction

Question 1

Addiction

Answer 1

Intense craving for a substance and strong withdrawal when the substance is removed

Question 2

What is Wernicke-Korsakoff caused by?

Answer 2

B1 deficiency

Question 3

What is the learning perspective on addiction?

Answer 3

We learn associations between cues and rewards - associate celebrations etc with drinking alcohol

Question 4

Conditioned compensatory response

Answer 4

We associate certain responses with a stimulus - when this stimulus is removed we still experience the responses over time

Question 5

Tolerance

Answer 5

• Conditioned compensatory response is a form of tolerance
• On one hand, it reduces potentially harmful effects of a drug
• In the other hand, tolerance can lead to overdose id the conditions necessary for it to work (contextual cues) are absent

Question 6

Withdrawal sx

Answer 6

In drug users, tolerance means body counter-acts to increase BP and HR which is depressed by the drug
When drug is discontinued, the body still does this = tachycardia and tachypnoea

Question 7

Dopamine antagonist

Answer 7

Pimozide

Question 8

Incentive salience theory

Answer 8

• Dopaminergic circuit involving NA and VTA is not responsible for pleasure obtained from a drug but for the motivation to obtain it
• Addicts become sensitised to drugs because their use potentiates the dopaminergic synapses in the brain with repeated use leading to greater responses in the dopamine circuit, independently from the effects of the drug on euphoria

Question 8

Incentive salience theory

Answer 8

• Dopaminergic circuit involving NA and VTA is not responsible for pleasure obtained from a drug but for the motivation to obtain it
• Addicts become sensitised to drugs because their use potentiates the dopaminergic synapses in the brain with repeated use leading to greater responses in the dopamine circuit, independently from the effects of the drug on euphoria