Chapter 14: Drug Abuse Flashcards
What % of American binge drink?
11 million at least once a week
How many American smoke?
62 million
How many American use smokeless tobacco?
7 million
How many American smoke marijuana?
10 million
How many Americans use psychotropic substances?
3 million
How many Americans use cocaine?
1.5 mllion
What percentage use inhalants and hallucinogens?
1 million each
What are the four symptoms of addiction?
1) Impairment in daily functioning and continued use over the use of the substance
2) Impairment of daily functioning and continued use of substance despite adverse consequences
3) Physical or emotional adaptation of the drug such as in the development of tolerance or a withdrawal syndrome.
4) When a user produces physical withdrawal symptoms in the absence of the drug.
What are the three C’s of addiction?
1) Control regarding use of drug
2) Continued use in the face of adverse consequences
3) Compulsion to use the drug
What % of alcoholics relapse?
80%
What is the definition of a drug?
Any chemical substance that can alter a biological system
What is a psychoactive drug?
The amount of a drug that must be given in order to obtain a particular response
Define drug potency
The amount of a drug that must be given in order to obtain a particular response
The three factors that influence drugs
1) Route of administration
2) How well the drugs interact with receptors in the brain
3) How quickly the body and brain adapt to the drug
What is the blood brain barrier (BBB)?
Composed of specialized cells that prevent particular compounds in the circulatory system from entering the brain.
Ways drugs pass the BBB?
1) Mimic neurotransmitters and interact with neurotransmitter receptors
2) Interferes with the synthesis, production of the neurotransmitter in the nerve cell
3) Affect the release of the neurotransmitter or block the receptor on the postsynaptic neuron.
4) Many drugs act by disrupting the reuptake or breakdown process.
5) Other can inhibit the enzymes that are responsible for eliminating excess neurotransmitters.
- In both cases, the end result is an over-activation of the neurotransmitter system
1) Define “neuroadaptation” and 2) how it is involved with addiction.
1) The complex biological changes that occur in the brain with repeated or chronic exposure to a drug
2) Homeostatic or self-corrective mechanisms, the nervous system attempts to compensate for the effects of the drug. Tolerance is one such form of this adaptation.
Have stable characteristics of an addictive personality been found?
No.
Explain the psychodynamic views of addiction.
1) Compensation for defective ego functions.
Used to reduce painful emotional states or as a defense mechanism in relation to an internal conflict.
2) Disruption of early life development, particularly regarding relationships to others, may increase vulnerability
3) Lack of gratifying relationship with others
4) The use of drugs to cope with anxiety associated with intimacy, especially during adolescence, has been noted by several theorists.
Genetic explanations of addiction
Adoption method: even when children of alcoholics are adopted, the children are still 4x more likely to develop alcoholism
How does the opponent-process theory explain addiction?
Exposure leads to craving.
Define “effective pleasure.”
-Pharmacological effect of drugs following initial use results in a hedonic state
Define “affective tolerance”
Higher doses as the exposure increases
Define “affective contrast”
- With continuing drug exposure, the negative, unpleasant state comes to dominate and contrasts sharply with the memory of the positive ones.
- Despite that little pleasure is now derived from the drug, the cycle of addictive behavior continues in order to achieve at least a steady-state or neutral level.
How does “negative reinforcement” explain addiction?
People take drugs to ward off the feelings of withdrawal.
How does “positive reinforcement” explain addiction?
Pleasures, euphoric feelings from drugs.
What is “nucleus accumbens?”
1) Pleasure including laughter, reward, and reinforcement learning, as well as fear, aggression, impulsivity, addiction, and the placebo effect.
2) Dopamine production
3) GABA is the main neurotransmitter within this region.
What are some neurochemical systems that play a role in addiction?
Endogenous opioids:
- Morphine-like substances
- enkaphalin, endorphines, dynorphins
What are some conditioning and learning models associated with addiction?
Drugs bring pleasure and relieve negative feelings that are produced by withdrawal
>This causes “Drug Cues,” which illicit bodily and emotional responses to people about their positive feelings with drug use.
Age of onset of alcoholism
10-24
What race is more likely to have drinking problem?
Whites
Neurochemicals affected by alcohol
1) Serotonin
2) Dopamine
3) GABA
4) Norepinephrine
5) Endogenous opioids
What is metabolic tolerance of alcohol?
The liver is able to break down alcohol faster
What accompanies mild symptoms of alcohol withdrawal?
1) Nausea
2) Weakness
3) Anxiety
4) Tremors
What accompanies severe symptoms of alcohol withdrawal?
1) Hallucinations
2) Disorientation
3) Confusion
4) Agitation
What are the worst symptoms of alcohol withdrawal?
1) Tremors
2) Seizures
3) Severe delirium
4) Delirium Tremens
Criteria of alcoholism
The individual has…
1) Been drinking over an extended period of time
2) Consequently suffered from major multiple life problems
3) Compulsive drinking and an inability to stop despite repeated efforts
4) High consumption, being able to exceed a fifth of liquor or its equivalent in wine or beer