BIO: Dopamine

Question 1

What is common assumption surrounding dopamine and addiction?

Answer 1

That it is a physiological problem not a biological problem

Question 2

What can addiction be seen as?

Answer 2

As an absence of will power and that addiction is a choice

Question 3

How is this veiw being challenged?

Answer 3

By growing research that is partly biological in nature

Question 4

A01:Role of dopamine in addiction
-what are the stages of addiction?

Answer 4

Initiation
Tolerance
Maintenance
Relapse

Question 5

A01:Role of dopamine in addiction
-what are the stages of addiction?

Answer 5

Initiation
Tolerance
Maintenance
Relapse

Question 6

What is the stage of initiation?

Answer 6

Addictive behvaiours and substances activate the mesolimibic pathway in the brain, this is also known as the reward pathway.
The addictive behaviour/susbstance triggers the release of domaine in the ventral tegmental area of the brain which then leads to a sense of please in the nucleus accumbers.
We have evolved to feel a sense of pleasure when eating or having sex, this behaviour can be seen as adaptive, as these behaviours are good for us in terms of survival. In addiction, its non adaptive behvaiours that resale huge amounts of dopamine, making an individual engage in this behvaiour again. This leads to a maladaptive reward pathway system

Question 7

What is the stage of tolerance?

Answer 7

Repeated exposure to the addictive substance/behaviour can cause a reduced sentistivitu to the dopamine release process, meaning the person becomes less sensitive to the effects of the addiction
Volkow did a study in 1997 that provided supporting research

Question 8

What is Volkow ‘s (1999) research?

Answer 8

Found a decrease in D2 receptors and decrease in dopamine release in those with cocain addictions
Meaning more of the behvaiour was needed for the addict to have the same pleasureable effect

Question 9

What is the maintainance stage?

Answer 9

The brain attaches too much importance to the addictive behaviour and the cues that are associated with it, this is because of the changes in the brain caused by the dopamine reward pathway.This changes an addicts veiw towards the addictive substance/behaviour as it starts to make the individual want to engage in addictive behaviour rather than just liking it, this explain why some addicts claim that they no longer enjoy the experience, but can’t overcome the cravings

Question 10

What is the stage Relapse?