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PSYC 304 > CH 15: Drug Use, Drug Addiction, & the Brain's Reward Circuits > Flashcards

CH 15: Drug Use, Drug Addiction, & the Brain's Reward Circuits Flashcards

1
Q

List the 4 routes of drug administration.

A
  1. Oral ingestion
  2. Injection
  3. Inhalation
  4. Absorption through mucous membranes
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2
Q

Describe drug administration via ORAL INGESTION.

Advantages & Disadvantages (1/1)?

A
  1. Oral Ingestion:
    - Drugs swallowed
    - -> Dissolved in stomach fluids
    - -> Carried to intestine
    - -> Absorbed into bloodstream
  • Some drugs absorb through stomach wall
  • -> Faster reaction

Advantages:
- Easy & safe

Disadvantages:

  • Unpredictable
  • -> Absorption into bloodstream influenced by difficult to gauge factors (i.e. food in stomach)
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3
Q

Describe drug administration via INJECTION.

Advantages & Disadvantages (1/1)?

A
  1. Injection:
    - Strong, fast & predictable effects
    - Typically made:
    (a) Subucutaneously (SC) = into fatty tissue beneath skin
    (b) Intramuscularly (IM) = into large muscles
    (c) Intravenously (IV) = directly into veins at points where they run beneath

Advantages:
- Drugs carried directly to brain via bloodstream

Disadvantages:

  • Unable to counteract effects of overdose, impurity or allergic reaction
  • -> Scar tissue, infections or collapsed veins
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4
Q

Describe drug administration via INHALATION.

Disadvantages (2)?

A
  1. Inhalation:
    - Drugs absorbed into bloodstream via capillaries network in lungs
    - ie) Anesthetics

Disadvantages:

  • Hard to regulate dose
  • Many substances damage lungs if inhaled chronically
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5
Q

Describe drug administration via ABSORPTION THROUGH MUCOUS MEMBRANES.

A
  1. Absorption through mucous membranes:
    - Drugs absorbed through mucous membrane of nose, mouth & rectum
    - ie) Cocaine absorbed via nasal membranes
    - -> Damage
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6
Q

Describe how drugs can influence the NS.

Define the BLOOD-BRAIN BARRIER.

A
  • Drugs enter bloodstream
  • -> Carried to blood vessels of CNS
  • Blood-Brain Barrier = protective filter
  • -> Hard for potentially dangerous chemicals to pass from blood vessels of CNS into extracellular space around CNS neurons
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7
Q

Describe 2 examples of the mechanisms of drug action.

A
  1. ie) Some drugs act diffusely on neural membranes through CNS
  2. ie) Some drugs bind to particular synaptic receptors
    - -> Influences synthesis, transport, release or deactivation of particular NTs
    - -> or Influences chain of chemical reactions elicited in postsynaptic neurons by the activation of their receptors
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8
Q

Describe DRUG METABOLISM.

A
  • Conversion of a drug from its active form to a nonactive form
  • -> Eliminates drug’s ability to pass through lipid membrane of cells
  • -> Can’t penetrate blood-brain barrier
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9
Q

Describe DRUG TOLERANCE - describe its 3 main characteristics.

A

Drug Tolerance:
= State of decreased sensitivity to a drug that develops as a result of exposure to it

i) 1 drug can produce tolerance to other drugs that act same way (=cross tolerance)
ii) Develops to some effects of a drug not to others
ii) It’s not a unitary phenomenon
- aka there’s no single mechanism that underlies all examples of it

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10
Q

Distinguish b/w METABOLIC Tolerance & FUNCTIONAL Tolerance.

A
  • METABOLIC Tolerance = results from a reduction in amount of drug getting to its sites of action
  • FUNCTIONAL Tolerance = results from changes that reduce reactivity of the sites of action to the drug
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11
Q

Describe WITHDRAWAL SYNDROME.

A
  • Illness via elimination from the drug which the person is physically dependent on
  • Effects are often opposite to the initial effects of the drug
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12
Q

Describe PHYSICAL DEPENDENCE.

A
  • State in which discontinuation of drug induces withdrawal reactions
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13
Q

Describe the process of drug withdrawal.

A
  • Exposure to drug produces compensatory change sin NS
  • -> Offsets drug’s effects
  • -> Produce tolerance
  • Eliminate drug from body
  • -> Compensatory neural changes (w/o the drugs to offset them) manifest themselves as withdrawal symptoms that are opposite to initial effects of the drug
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14
Q

Describe DRUG-ADDICTED INDIVIDUALS.

A
  • Habitual drug users who continuously use a drug despite its adverse effects on their health & social life, & despite their repeated efforts to stop using it
  • Aren’t necessarily physically dependent on drug
  • -> aka don’t necessarily continue taking drugs to offset withdrawal symptoms
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15
Q

Explain CONTINGENT Drug Tolerance.

A
  • Drug tolerance that develops as a reaction to the experience of the effects of drugs rather than to drug exposure alone

see pg 384 for details

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16
Q

Describe CONDITIONED Drug Tolerance.

A
  • Tolerance effects that are max expressed only when a drug is admin in the same situation in which it’s been previously admin
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17
Q

Describe CONDITIONED COMPENSATORY RESPONSES.

A
  • Hypothetical conditioned physiological responses that are opposite to the effects of a drug that are thought to be elicited by stimuli that are regularly ass. w/ experiencing the drug effects
  • see pg 395 for details
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18
Q

Describe 3 health hazards ass. w/ smoking tobacco.

A
  1. DRUG CRAVING:
    = Affective sate = strong desire for the drug
    - Readily apparent in habitual smoker who runs out of cigarettes
    - Withdrawal affects = depression, restlessness, irritability, constipation & difficulties sleeping & concentrating
  2. Smoker’s Syndrome:
    = Chest pain, laboured breathing, wheezing, coughing & heightened susceptibility to infections of the respiratory tract
  3. BUERGER’s DISEASE:
    - Blood vessels (esp. in lungs) constrict whenever tobacco is smoked
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19
Q

Describe the health hazards of alcohol consumption (2).

Withdrawal symptoms?

A
  1. Produce both tolerance & physical dependence
  2. Heavy drinkers’ LIVER ^metabolizes alcohol quicker
    - - > Contributes to functional alcohol tolerance

Withdrawal Symptoms = hangover
= Headache, nausea, vomiting, tremulousness

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20
Q

Describe the symptoms & time frames of each of the 4 phases of a Full-Blown Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome.

A

Phase 1:

  • 6-8hr after ceasing alcohol consumption
  • Anxiety, tremor, nausea, rapid heartbeat

Phase 2:

  • 10-30hr after
  • Hyper-actvity, insomnia, hallucinations

Phase 3:

  • 12-48hr after
  • Convulsive activity

Phase 4:

  • 3-5d after
  • Delirium Tremens (DTs) = disturbing hallucinations, bizarre delusions, disorientation, confusion, hyperthermia (^^body temp)
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21
Q

List and describe 4 health consequences ass. w/ chronic alcohol consumption.

A
  1. Extensive brain damage
    - Indirectly: KORSAKOFF’s SYNDROME = neuropsychological disorder w/ memory loss
    - Directly: Interferes w/ function of 2nd messengers inside neurones, etc.
  2. Extensive scarring cirrhosis of liver
    - Major cause of death among heavy alcohol users
  3. Erodes heart muscles
    - -> ^risk of heart attack
  4. FAS = Fetal Alcohol Syndrome = when pregnant mom consumes substantial quantities of alcohol
    - incl. brain damage, intellectual disability, poor coordination, low birth weight, etc.
22
Q

Describe the health effects of THC.

Withdrawal symptoms?

A

THC = main constituent of marijuana
–> psychoactive effects

  • Prod tachycardia = elevated heart rate
  • -> Thus single large doses can trigger heart attacks in susceptible individuals who previously suffered heart attack
  • No consistent evidence of marijuana causing brain damage
23
Q

What do high doses of THC impair (6)?

A

High doses impair:

  • Psychologoical funcitoning
  • Short-term memory
  • Ability to carry out tasks w/ multiple steps to reach specific goal
  • Slurred speech
  • Meaningful convos
  • Driving ability
24
Q

What are the withdrawal symptoms of THC?

A

Withdrawal symptoms:

  • Nausea
  • Diarrhea
  • Sweating
  • Chills
  • Tremor
  • Sleep disturbance
25
Q

Therapeutic effects of THC?

A

Therapeutic effects:

  • Suppress nausea & vomiting
  • Stimulate appetite
  • Block seizures
  • etc.
  • Not ass. w/ any serious adverse side effects
26
Q

Define STIMULANTs.

A
  • Drugs whose primary effect = produce general ^ in neural & behavioural activity.
27
Q

Describe COCAINE & how it affects the NS.

A
  • Cocaine = stimulant that exerts tis effects via altering activity or DOPAMINE transporters
28
Q

Define Crack.

A
  • Impure residue of boiling cocaine
  • Cheap
  • Smokable form of cocaine
29
Q

Define COCAINE SPREES & describe its health hazards.

A

Cocaine Sprees:
=Binges of intaking high levels cocaine
–> ^tolerant to euphoria-produced effects of cocaine
–> Sleeplessness, tremors, nausea, hyperthermia, sometimes psychotic symptoms (mistakenly diagnosed as schizo.)
–> Risk loss of consciousness, seizures, respiratory arrest, heart attack, stroke

30
Q

Withdrawal effects of cocaine (2).

A
  1. (-) mood swings

2. Insomnia

31
Q

Describe OPIUM.

A
  • Dried form of sap exuded by the seedpods of the opium poppy
  • Has several psychoactive ingredients
  • -> morphine & codeine = opioids
32
Q

Describe OPIOIDS.

Examples?

A

Opioids:

  • Exert their effects by binding to receptors whose normal function is to bind to ENDOGENOUS opioids
  • Effective analgesics (painkillers)
  • Effective treatment of cough & diarrhea
  • Has greater effect on brain than does eating it
  • -> Drawn by pleasurable effects
  • -> Use ^frequently
  • -> ^Tolerance & physical dependence
  • -> Addiction
  • ie) Morphine, codeine, heroine
33
Q

Describe OPIOID WITHDRAWAL SYNDROME.

A

Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome:

  • Begins 6-12h after last dose
  • 1st withdrawal sign = ^ restlessness (i.e. pace, fidget)
  • Watering eyes, running nose, yawning, sweating
  • Fitful sleep
  • Wake up w/ original symptoms joined in extreme cases by chills, shivering, ^^sweating, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, cramps, tremor, muscle pain
  • Most severe pains 2-3d after last injection
  • -> disappear after 7d
  • -> aka opioid withdrawal is as serious as bad case of the flu
34
Q

Describe the minor health hazards of chronic exposure to opioids.

A

Direct risks = minor:

  • constipation, pupil constriction
  • menstrual irregularity
  • reduced sex drive

–> No serious ill effects if taken for years

35
Q

Explain why it’s difficult to determine causality in studies of the health hazards of drugs (2).

A
  1. Always compare health of known drug users w/ that of non-users
    - -> Can’t be certain if observed differences are due to drug itself or some other diff b/w the 2 groups
  2. Recruit drug users from addiction treatment clinics = most severe users
    - -> Have diff outcomes when sample from general public
    - -> Most can successfully treat their own addictions w/o professional help
36
Q

Compare the direct health hazards of alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, heroin & cocaine

A
  • Tobacco & alcohol have ^(-) impact than marijuana, cocaine & heroin

Learn more via LO 15.13

37
Q

Describe the PHYSICAL-DEPENDENCE Theory of Addiction.

Problem w/ this theory?

A
  • Main factor that motivates drug-addicted individuals to keep taking drugs is the prevention/termination of withdrawal symptoms

PROBLEM:
- Detoxification (whether by choice or necessity) doesn’t stop addicted individuals from renewing their drug-taking habits

38
Q

Describe the POSITIVE-INCENTIVE Theory of Addiction.

A
  • Main factor in most cases of addiction is the craving for the positive-incentive (expected pleasure-producing) properties of a drug
  • Physical dependence does play a role in addiction, though most assume that the ^important factor in addiction is the drug’s pleasurable effects
39
Q

Describe the Intracranial Self-Stimulation (ICSS) paradigm.

Define PLEASURE CENTRES.

A

Intracranial Self-Stimulation (ICSS):
= Repeated performance of a response that delivers electrical stimulation to certain sites in the animal’s brain

PLEASURE CENTRES:
= Brain sites capable of mediating this phenomenon
= Same sites that mediate the pleasurable effects of natural rewards (i.e. food, water, sex)

40
Q

Define the Mesotelencephalic Dopamine System.

A
  • System of dopaminergic neurons that projects from the mesencephalon (midbrain) into various regions of the telencephalon
41
Q

List 4 ways how the Mesotelencephalic Dopamine System plays a role in mediating ICSS.

A
  1. Many of the brain sites at which self-stimulation occurs are part of the mesocorticolimbic pathway
  2. ICSS is often ass. w/ an ^dopamine release in the mesocorticolimbic pathway
  3. Dopamine agonists tend to ^ICSS, & dopamine antagonists tend to decrease it
  4. Lesions of the mesocorticolimbic pathway tend to disrupt ICSS

see pf 407

42
Q

Describe 2 methods for measuring the rewarding effects of drugs.

(Hint: Paradigms)

What is an advantage of the 2nd paradigm?

A
  1. Drug Self-Administration Paradigm:
    = Test of addictive potential of drugs
    - Lab animals inject drugs into themselves by pressing a lever
  2. Conditioned Place-Preference Paradigm:
    = Test that assess a lab animal’s preference for an environ. in which it has previously exp. drug effects relative to a control environ.
    –> Subjects usually prefer drug compartment over control compartment
    - ADVANTAGE = subjects tested while drug-free
    –> Measure of incentive value of a drug isn’t confounded by other effects the drug may have on behaviour.
43
Q

The NT, _____, is linked to natural reinforcers and drug-induced rewards.

A
  • Dopamine
44
Q

Explain the role of the nucleus accumbens in drug addiction.

A
  • Events occurring in the nucleus accumbens, & dopaminergic input to it from the ventral regimented areas, appeared to be most clearly related to the experience of REWARD & PLEASURE

Findings from research on lab animals that focused on nuclei accumbens:
1. Lab animals self admin microinjections of addictive drugs into nucleus accumbens produced a conditioned place preference for the compartment in which they were admin

  1. Microinjections of addictive drugs into nucleus accumbens prod a conditioned place preference for the compartment in which they were admin
  2. Lesions to either the nucleus accumbens or ventral tegumental area blocked the self-admin of addictive drugs into general circulation or development of drug-ass conditioned place preferences
  3. Both the self-admin of addictive drugs & exp of natural reinforcers were found to be ass. w/ elevated levels of extracellular dopamine in the nucleus accumbens
45
Q

List the 3 stages in the development of drug addiction.

A
  1. Initial drug taking
  2. Habitual drug taking
  3. Drug craving & repeated relapse
46
Q

Describe the 1st stage in the development of drug addiction.

A
  1. Initial drug taking:
    - Food restriction, social stress & environmental stress facilitate acquisition of doing self care in rats
    - Enrich environ., special interaction, & access to non drug reinforces protect AGAINST acquisition of drug self-admin
    - Behavioural traits that protect drug self admin = prefer drinking sweetened water in rats & ^active in novel environ
47
Q

Describe the 2nd stage in the development of drug addiction.

Define the INCENTIVE-SENSITIZATION THEORY.

A
  1. Habitual drug taking:

> Incentive-Sensitization Theory = addiction develops when drug user sensitizes the neural circuits mediating wanting of the drug (not necessarily liking the drug)

  • -> Explains why some drug users become habitual users & others done
  • The positive-incentive value of addictive drug ^ (i.e. becomes sensitized) w/ repeated drug use in addiction-prone individuals
  • It’s not the pleasure (liking) taking the drug that’s the basis of habitat drug use & addiction
  • -> IT’s the ANTICIPATED PLEASURE of drug taking (i.e. positive-incentive value)
  • *aka positive incentive value > hedonic value
  • *aka wanting > liking

(Hedonic value = actual pleasure from experience)

48
Q

Describe the 3rd stage in the development of drug addiction.

List 3 causes of relapse in addicted individuals.

A
  1. Drug craving & repeated relapse:
    - Causes of relapse in addicted individuals:
    (a) STRESS

(b) Drug Priming = single exposure to formerly misused drug

(c) Exposure to cues (i.e. ppl, times, places, objects) that were previously ass. w/ drug taking
- -> bc conditioned compensatory responses ^ cravings in abstinent drug-addicted individuals
- -> triggers release

49
Q

Describe 2 sets of findings that have challenged the relevance of drug self-administration studies.

A
  1. UNNATURAL HOUSING & TESTING CONDITIONS:
    - ie) rats tested in barren chambers where only rewarding action is pressing lever for drug injection
    - -> Less likely to self admin drug if ^environmental enrichment (i.e. more natural housing)
  2. EXCESSIVE FOCUS ON STIMULANTS:
    - Led to 2 major conclusions about mechanisms of drug addiction:
    (a) that all addictive drugs activate the mesocorticolimbic pathway
    (b) dopamine is important for reinforcing properties of all addictive drugs
  • -> BUT studies of opioid self admin led to diff conclusion
  • -> ie) Although mesocorticolimbic pathway lesions or dopamine antagonists disrupt habitual cocaine self admin, they didn’t disrupt habitual heroin self admin.
50
Q

Explain the significance of the case of Sigmund Freud.

A
  • Freud kept smoking even though it prod severe health hazards (i.e. cancerous sores in mouth, operation, jaw replacement, etc.)
    1. Shows that nobody, no matter how powerful their intellect, is immune to the addictive effects of drugs
    2. Allows comparisons b/w the 2 addictive drugs in which Frued had problems

PSYC 304 (18 decks)

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