Addiction - Biological Interventions Flashcards
Types of biological intervention?
SSRIs, Antagonists, Agonists
Examples of agonists?
NRT and methadone
Examples of antagonists?
Naltrexone
What do agonists do?
Same effect as the neurotransmitter
What do antagonists do?
Block neurotransmitters and prevent rewarding effects
Research on SSRIs?
Hollander et al
Hollander et al?
Gamblers treated with SSRIs had increased serotonin levels and showed a significant improvement
What does NRT do?
Replaces nicotine in a less harmful manner and reduces withdrawal symptoms, weaning them off nicotine
What does methadone do?
Stimulates same receptor sites as heroin but in a milder way so they don’t get high - prescribed increasing amounts to build up tolerance before it is decreased to wean them off it completely
What does naltrexone do?
Dopamine agonist that reduces the rewarding and reinforcing effects of gambling, can also bind to opoid receptor sites and block effects
Strengths of biological interventions?
Effective
Weaknesses of biological interventions?
Treat the symptoms not the cause
Contradicting evidence
Side effects
Unsafe
Effectiveness of NRT?
Davidson et al
Davidson et al?
12 month abstinence rates 28% with nicotine patches, 18% with placebo
Effectiveness of naltrexone?
Kim and Grant
Kim and Grant?
Significant decrease in gambling thoughts and behaviours 6 weeks after naltrexone
Biological interventions treating symptoms not the cause?
Davidson et al
Davidson et al? (2)
Questioned whether substance abuse problems should be treated by giving another substance to people - they just switch dependence
Contradicting evidence for effectiveness of biological interventions to addiction?
Blanco et al
Blanco et al?
No superiority for SSRIs over placebos (32 gamblers over 6 months)
Side effects of biological interventions for addiction?
E.g. methadone = insomnia, sexual dysfunction -> drop outs
Safety of biological interventions for addiction?
UK statistics authority
UK statistics authority?
Methadone was responsive for over 300 deaths in the UK in 2007 due to overdose or use with other drugs
