Chapter 11 Part 2: Causes and Treatments of Dependence Disorders Flashcards
which genes and chromosomes may influence alcoholism
genes on chromosome 1, 2, 7, and 11 may serve to PROTECT people from becoming dependence.
– twin and family studies indicate that certain people may be genetically vulnerable to drug abuse.
DRD2 gene enhances the sensitivity of dopamine receptors and can influence alcohlism by increasing the positive quality of these experiences.
what enzyme is involved in the metabolism of alcohol
alcohol dehydrogenase. Having an active ADH but slow ALDH (aldehyde dehydrogenase) promotes the rapid formation of acetaldehyde and can promote the BAD FEELINGS of alcohl, preventing alcoholism.
MOP-r receptors, neurons that release endogenous opioids, are spread throughout the central nervous system. they are primarly found in the ___ and ___ striatal areas and are highly influenced by the downstream activation of the dopaminergic ____ and ___ systems.
they are primarly found in the DORSAL and VENTRAL striatal areas and are highly influenced by the downstream activation of the dopaminergic MESOCORTICOLIMBIC and NIGROSTRIATAL systems.
explain how drug dependence is both based on positive and negative reinforcement?
a drug provides pleasurable experiences ( positive reinforcement) but also removes unpleasant experiences (negative reinforcement).
neurobiology of how many drugs such as alcohol and sedative-hypnotics cause anxiolytic effecst
- involves the septal-hippocampal nuclei system, which includes a large number of GABA-sensitive neurons.
opponent process theory
posits that an increase in positive feelings will be followed by an increase in negative feelings a short time later. There is an integration of both the positive and negative reinforcement processes.
- this mechanism is strengthened with use and weakened by disuse. A person who has been using a drug for some time will need more of it to achieve the same results. At the same time, the negative feeling that follows the drug use tend to intensify.
causes a bad cycle.
expectancy effects
a cognitive factor that heightens a persons perception of the effects of a substance. ex/ a person who expects to be less inhibited when he or she drinks alcohol will act less inhibited whether that person actually drinks alcohl or a placebo.
expectancies are shaped by media and by peers. ___ expectancies about the effects of lacohol or marijuana use predicted who was more likely to use and increase their use of these drugs three years later.
POSITIVE expectancies (believing you will feel good if you take a drug) about the effects of alcohol or marijuana use predicted who was more likely to use and increase their use of these drugs three years later.
in terms of cognitive factors, how does tolerance to drugs work?
as the CONDITIONED COMPENSATORY RESPONSE develops, it works against hte unconditioned drug effect, reducing the subjective experience of the drug effect for the user.
in terms of cognitive factors, how does craving drugs work?
when the user is exposed to cues normally associated with drug taking, this initiates the conditioned compensatory response which is experienced subjectively as craving for the drug.
alcohol myopia
a state of shortsightedness in which superficially understood and immediate aspects of experience have a disproportionate influence on behaviour and emotions.
equifinality
refers to the fact that a disorder may arise from multiple and different paths, and seems particularly relevant to substance-related problems. Repeated drug use may lead to biological and cognitive reactions that contribute to dependence
social dimensions of dependence
media and peer exposure to psychoactive substances is a necessary prerequisite to their use and possible abuse.
two social views on dependence
1) moral weakness view
2) disease model of dependence
moral weakness view
a social view of dependence in which drug use is seen as a failure of self-control in the face of temptation. Drug users lack the character to resist the lure of drugs.
disease model of physiological dependence
a psychosocial view of dependence that assumes that drug use disorders are caused by an underlying physiological cause ( a biological perspective).
motivational enhancement therapy
helps individuals with substance use disorders to increase their motivation to change and move toward a stage where they are ready to work on modifying their problematic substance use.
3 main classes of biological treatments to dependence disorders
1) agonist substitution: providing a person with a safe drug that has a chemical composition similar to the abused drug (ex/ methadone: gives the same pain relieving effects
2) antagonist treatment: involves drugs that block or counteract the positive effects of psychoactive drugs. Ex/ Naltrexone: the most commonly prescribed opiate-antagonist–> doesn’t allow for opiates to have an effect on the person
3) aversive treatments: involve the use of drugs to make the ingestion of abused substances extremely unpleasant. Ex/ Antabuse
Cons about inpatient hospital treatment for dependence
very expensive. it’s often used to assist people through the withdrwawl stage of substance abuse and to provide supportive therapy so they can return to the community.
Elements of alcoholics anonymous
12 step program that views alcohlism as a disease that people are powerless to overcome without help. Social support is a key element.
TF AA condones controlled use
false. a tenet of AA is total abstinence.
Controlled use as an alternative to abstinence might be a better option; those who participated in controlled drinking gorup were functioning well 85% of the time, whereas those in the abstinence group were doing well nly 42% of the time.
aversion therapy
a psychosocial treatment where substance use is paired with something extremely unpleasant. may use averive drugs (ex/ antabuse)
covert sensitization
using imagination to picture unpleasant scenes with substance use, to create a NEGATIVE ASSOCIATION (also used in paraphilic disorder treatment)
contigency management
a psychosocial treatment where behaviours that the client needs to change and decide on the reinforcers that will reward reaching certain goals.
ex/ clients receive cash vouchers for having cocaine-negative urine specimens.
