Addiction Modification

Question 1

What is a treatment for addiction

Answer 1

Médication

Question 2

How does this medication work

Answer 2

Works on the synapses to alter behaviour

Question 3

What are the drugs given

Answer 3

Agonist or antagonist

Question 4

What do these drugs do

Answer 4

Mimic or block the effects of particular substances on the brain

Question 5

What do agonist drugs do

Answer 5

Imitate what an existing drug would do eg methodone with heroin
Binds to the receptors, doesn’t cure the addiction just replaces it
It substitutes the drug that someone is already addicted to

Question 6

What is an agonist drug

Answer 6

Méthadone
For heroin
Used because of tolerance where the dopamine receptors have become less sensitive, now need heroin as less dopamine is being released

Question 7

What does methadone do (agonist)

Answer 7

Occupies dopamine receptors- acts like heroin, but without the high
Activates dopamine so gets rid of the withdrawal
Do not experience a high so they dont experience the uncontrolled compulsive disruptive behaviour

Question 8

How is méthadone taken

Answer 8

Orally, the blood concentrations of methadone with rise and fall slowly, compared to the rush and crash when it is injected

Question 9

How does a person come off methadone

Answer 9

When the withdrawal symptoms have stabilised the patient can gradually have their dosage lowered (detoxification) until they can completely stop using it

Question 10

What is an antagonist drug

Answer 10

They block the usual function of the drug
Acts as a non competitive inhibitor
Blocks the cellular activity

Question 11

What is the antagonist drug called

Answer 11

Naltrexone

Question 12

What is naltrexone used for

Answer 12

Heroin addiction
Used for the addicts in recovery to prevent relapse
If they relapse they don’t feel the rewards of the drug and then they can then go to therapy to talk about their relapse

Question 13

What is the biological action of the antagonist drug

Answer 13

Occupies dopamine receptor sites, prevents dopamine from binding and being activated

Question 14

What effect does the antagonist drug have if someone relapses on heroin

Answer 14

They wouldn’t feel a high or pleasure
As the dopamine receptors are blocked

Question 15

Who receives the antagonist drug

Answer 15

People who have stopped taking the drug
Show they are motivated to stop taking the drug

Question 16

How is the antagonist drug naltrexone given

Answer 16

Orally or implant

Question 17

What other addictions can naltrexone be used for

Answer 17

Alcohol addiction
Alongside psychological intervention
Used for 6 months
Users kept under vision to check they haven’t started drinking again

Question 18

How is methadone effective

Answer 18

31 reviews of effectiveness of methadone
Included 27 randomised controlled trials
Found higher levels of retention compared to placebo or no treatment

Question 19

Effectiveness of naltrexone

Answer 19

Reviewed 17 studies
No significant difference between naltrexone or control for retention
Later found naltrexone associated with reduction in relapse rates with those who were highly motivated and closely monitored

Question 20

What did Lahti find about effectiveness of naltrexone

Answer 20

Tested on gamblers
Unstructured to take it before gambling or when they felt the urge to
Found sig difference in gambling levels

Question 21

Ethical implications
What are the dangers of using methadone

Answer 21

Interacting with alcohol can cause respiratory problems
Danger of overdose (429 deaths in the UK)
creates another addiction for people
Side effects = anxiety and hallucinations

Question 22

Ethical implications
What are the dangers of using naltrexone

Answer 22

People need to be carefully monitored for issues with liver function
If still opioid dependent taking naltrexone can cause withdrawal sumptuous as it can displace opioids in the system from receptors

Question 23

What are the social implications of methadone

Answer 23

National treatment agency = treating heroin users with methadone has a positive effect on society by reducing criminality
Gyngell = prescribing methadone was an expensive failure, costs society money, greater success by funding rehabilitation