Addiction and Alcohol Misuse

Question 1

List the ICD-10 criteria for dependence

Answer 1

Strong desire to take substance
Difficulty in controlling use
Withdrawal state
Neglect of alternative pleasure
Persistence despite evidence of harm

Question 2

Which dopaminergic pathway is involved in addiction?

Answer 2

Mesolimbic pathway (assoc. with reward)

Question 3

What effect does an increase in dopamine have on behaviour?

Answer 3

Motivating signal that incentivises behaviour and is involved in pleasurable experiences