Biological Key Question Flashcards
What is the biological key question?
How effective is drug therapy for treating addictions?
How does addiction to drugs cost society?
High numbers of crime and costs NHS to treat addiction
How many opiate users were there in 2013/14 in the UK and how many successfully used drug therapy?
Just under 300,000
Just under 30,000 successfully used drug therapy to treat drug addiction
What can methadone reduction programmes discourage and how does this impact society?
Abstinence from heroin so costs society more in economic and social costs
What is substitute prescribing?
Giving some medication or another which reduces physical effects of heroin e.g. methadone, buprenorphine
What does buprenorphine help with?
Avoids withdrawal effects of coming off the drug but provides less ‘high’ so its less addictive
What can repeated exposure to recreational drugs lead to?
Tolerance and withdrawal symptoms which continue drug use
Social and economic costs - so needs to be treated
What does reduction of methadone doses mean for the user?
Experience withdrawal symptoms e.g. cramps and vomiting, so can lead to relapse
What does methadone mimic?
The action of heroin at synaptic level through dopamine and endorphins
How is the dose of buprenorphine gradually reduced?
Binds to opioid receptors without a perfect fit so tends to occupy receptors without euphoria preventing receptors from joining with full opioids
What can we use to investigate activity of methadone treatment in the brain for effectiveness?
Brain scans e.g PET scans
How does West support the biological key question?
Found that drug therapy is effective in treating heroin addiction
How does Marteau support the biological key question?
Found it 6 times safer than methadone
How does Jones support the biological key question, specifically buprenorphine?
Found buprenorphine prevents withdrawal, allows for a more individual treatment process as it is long lasting and more flexible when it can be given so less chance of overdose
How does Li conflict the biological key question?
Found that cues for heroin in specific brain areas suggest that cues themselves affect brain functioning so it is not just biology that is involved
