Addiction - Biological Interventions

Question 1

Types of biological intervention?

Answer 1

SSRIs, Antagonists, Agonists

Question 2

Examples of agonists?

Answer 2

NRT and methadone

Question 3

Examples of antagonists?

Answer 3

Naltrexone

Question 4

What do agonists do?

Answer 4

Same effect as the neurotransmitter

Question 5

What do antagonists do?

Answer 5

Block neurotransmitters and prevent rewarding effects

Question 6

Research on SSRIs?

Answer 6

Hollander et al

Question 7

Hollander et al?

Answer 7

Gamblers treated with SSRIs had increased serotonin levels and showed a significant improvement

Question 8

What does NRT do?

Answer 8

Replaces nicotine in a less harmful manner and reduces withdrawal symptoms, weaning them off nicotine

Question 9

What does methadone do?

Answer 9

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

Question 10

What does naltrexone do?

Answer 10

Dopamine agonist that reduces the rewarding and reinforcing effects of gambling, can also bind to opoid receptor sites and block effects

Question 11

Strengths of biological interventions?

Answer 11

Effective

Question 12

Weaknesses of biological interventions?

Answer 12

Treat the symptoms not the cause
Contradicting evidence
Side effects
Unsafe

Question 13

Effectiveness of NRT?

Answer 13

Davidson et al

Question 14

Davidson et al?

Answer 14

12 month abstinence rates 28% with nicotine patches, 18% with placebo

Question 15

Effectiveness of naltrexone?

Answer 15

Kim and Grant

Question 16

Kim and Grant?

Answer 16

Significant decrease in gambling thoughts and behaviours 6 weeks after naltrexone

Question 17

Biological interventions treating symptoms not the cause?

Answer 17

Davidson et al

Question 18

Davidson et al? (2)

Answer 18

Questioned whether substance abuse problems should be treated by giving another substance to people - they just switch dependence

Question 19

Contradicting evidence for effectiveness of biological interventions to addiction?

Answer 19

Blanco et al

Question 20

Blanco et al?

Answer 20

No superiority for SSRIs over placebos (32 gamblers over 6 months)

Question 21

Side effects of biological interventions for addiction?

Answer 21

E.g. methadone = insomnia, sexual dysfunction -> drop outs

Question 22

Safety of biological interventions for addiction?

Answer 22

UK statistics authority

Question 23

UK statistics authority?

Answer 23

Methadone was responsive for over 300 deaths in the UK in 2007 due to overdose or use with other drugs