Addiction biological

Question 1

What is the hero explanation?

Answer 1

Dopamine

Question 2

What is the sidekick explanaton?

Answer 2

Genes

Question 3

what does the dopamine explanation suggest?

Answer 3

addictive behaviours and substances trigger the release of dopamine into the mesolimbic pathway which creates a link between the drug or activity and pleasure as its responsible for the sensation of reward

Question 4

what is meant by down regulation?

Answer 4

continued exposure to alcohol or drugs results in reduction of activity in the positive reward circuits in the brain meaning the dopamine receptors become less sensitive to the effects with creates withdrawal symptoms

Question 5

why is the risk of relapse heightened in addicts?

Answer 5

the frontal cortex has become less effective at decision making

Question 6

what is one strength of the dopamine explanation?

Answer 6

It has practical applications, Botswick and Bucci describe treatment of a young male patient who was addicted to