Addiction Flashcards
alcohol
initial stimulant, prolonged depressant, sedative
low dose alcohol stimulates dopamine release
alcohol receptors
enhances GABAa receptor activity
reduced NMDA receptor activity
mesocorticolimbic dopamine system
mesolimbic portion also called the “reward pathway”
DSM-5: alcohol use disorder
“substance use disorder describes a problematic pattern of using alcohol or another substance that results in impairment in daily life or noticeable distress”
11 total symptoms in the past year
loss of control over drinking
physical dependence
clinical impairment
2-3 symptoms: mild
4-5 symptoms: moderate
6+: severe
progression of alcohol use disorder
use-> heavy use-> early dependence-> late dependence neuroadaptation
abstinence/relapse
positive reinforcement
each alcohol drink is pleasurable and so increases the probability of future drinking
drinking to “feel good”
negative reinforcement
abstinence causes aversive stimulus (negative emotional state of drug withdrawal), so increases the probability of future drinking
drinking to “feel normal”
brain regions involved in addiction
reward (basal ganglia), attention and higher cognition (prefrontal cortex) , negative emotions (amygdala)
striatum/nucleus accumbens
fewer dopamine receptors in striatum/nucleus accumbens of addicted individuals
amygdala overactivation
showing cocaine addicts pictures of things that remind them of cocaine dramatically increases blood flow in the amygdala
prefrontal cortex overactivation
interviewing cocaine addicts about their drug use dramatically increases blood flow in the PFC
During the progression of alcohol use disorder, the ____ is involved
in anticipation and preoccupation of the next drink
A. Basal ganglia
B. Prefrontal cortex
C. Nucleus accumbens
D. Amygdala
B. prefrontal cortex
