Chapter 14: Mental Disorders

Question 1

Drugs

Answer 1

Drugs can influence the synapses in many ways: they can increase ore decrease the synthesis of a neurotransmitter, they can be responsible for the neurotransmitter leaking frm the transport bulbor they can work on the postsynaptic receptors.

Question 2

Similarities of drugs

Answer 2

Directly or indirectly enhanced the release of dopamine in the nucleus accumbens (People with depression shows the opposite: a diminished reaction in the nucleus accumbens. Dopamine is related to how eager someone (no how much he/ she likes it) is to get something.

Question 3

Drug craving

Answer 3

A person is constantly trying to get the product or activity.

Question 4

Reward system

Answer 4

It’s not just liking something, but really wanting and desiring to get it. Repeated exposure to additive substances deminishes other reward areas. An addiction changes the reward system. Also, it disturbs the prefrontal cortex and other areas that are important for inhiboting impulses.

Question 5

Tolerance

Answer 5

When an addiction develops further, the effects will become less. (Receiving drugs in a certain location wil result in more tolerance in that location tthan in another.

Question 6

Extinction

Answer 6

When something is learned, it can also be unlearned. This means that a person doesn’t take the addictive substance for a long period of time.

Question 7

Withdrawal

Answer 7

When the body is accustomed to getting drugs under certain circumstances, will react strongly when the drug is not presented under those one.

Question 8

Predisosition

Answer 8

It seems that some aspects of behavior and brain are present at very beggining, regardless of developingn an addiction or not.

Question 9

Genetics

Answer 9

Genetics has a strong influence on the sensitivity of alcohol and the abuse of drugd. However, it is quite difficult to find one particular gene that is responsible for this.

Question 10

Major Depression

Answer 10

Heritability of depression is moderate. Depression is more probable among people who have a female relative with early-onset depression. Gene controls serotonin transporter protein, and it has a long type and a short type. These two types occuring together increase the risk of depression. However, these genes are more related to the sensitivity to environmental influences than depression itself. A happy mood is related to actiity to the left prefrontal cortex. People with depression have an active right prefrontal cortal and less active the left one.