Cognitive models of addiction Flashcards
What is the DSM-V section that covers addiction called?
Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders
This section includes two subdivisions: substance-related disorders and non-substance-related disorders (behavioral addictions).
Define physical dependence.
Withdrawal symptoms in the absence of the drug and tolerance to its effects with repeated use.
What characterizes psychological dependence?
A relatively extreme, pathological state where obtaining, taking, and recovering from a drug represents a loss of behavioral control.
List three cognitive addiction characteristics.
- Attentional biases (SEN)
- Craving/rumination (Default Mode Network)
- Impaired top-down control (Executive Control Network)
What does goal choice depend on?
The value assigned to each alternative (incentive) and its perceived attainability.
What is positive reinforcement in the context of addiction?
Drugs produce pleasure (a ‘high’) and stimulate the brain’s reward circuits.
What is the role of dopamine in addiction according to Robinson & Berridge (1993)?
Dopamine is involved in reward pathways and becomes hypersensitive to substances and related stimuli.
Differentiate between ‘liking’ and ‘wanting’ as per Robinson & Berridge (1993).
‘Liking’ refers to the initial enjoyment of a substance while ‘wanting’ relates to the motivational properties associated with repetitive use.
What is the Incentive-Sensitisation Model?
Addictive drugs produce long-lasting changes in brain organization, rendering systems hypersensitive to drugs and drug-associated stimuli.
Describe the relationship between chronic cocaine exposure and neuronal changes.
Chronic exposure produces extra dendrites in neurons, amplifying signaling and causing overreactions to substance-related cues.
What are the associations that develop for an alcohol abuser according to Tiffany (1990)?
- Pleasurable emotions (to celebrate)
- Everyday thoughts (to unwind)
- Aspects of routine (drink with dinner)
What is the significance of attentional biases in addiction?
Attentional biases distort perception and contribute to a state of addiction by reinforcing the salience of drug-related cues.
What did the findings on alcohol users’ attentional control reveal?
Alcohol users had higher ‘break frequency’ during alcohol trials, indicating an inhibitory control deficit.
What is psychomotor sensitization?
The lasting psychomotor-activating effects of drugs that persist after drug use is discontinued.
What does the network approach in addiction research emphasize?
Focus on large-scale networks working together rather than isolated brain regions.
Define the Default Mode Network (DMN).
A large network of brain regions active when not engaged in a task, associated with self-referential processing and emotional regulation.
What changes occur in the DMN during chronic drug use?
Decreased activity in the anterior DMN and increased activity in the posterior DMN, leading to rumination and negative emotions.
What is the role of the Executive Control Network (ECN)?
Crucial for focused attention, higher-order functions, and voluntary control of behavior.
How does addiction disrupt communication between brain networks?
It weakens connections between the DMN, SEN, and ECN, impairing attention control and increasing focus on drug cues.
What effect does the intoxication stage have on the DMN?
It activates the dopamine reward system and shifts attention to external drug stimuli.
What are the implications of decreased DMN activity for addiction diagnosis?
DMN activity may help predict an individual’s risk for addiction.
What is the role of the anterior DMN in addiction?
Increased self-referential processing and linked to dopamine availability in the striatum
The anterior DMN is associated with predicting addiction risk and activity that may indicate the likelihood of developing a substance use disorder.
What is the impact of rumination and negative emotions on addiction?
Increased activity in the amygdala and habenula, decreased VS dopamine
This leads to negative reinforcement for drug use.
What occurs during the preoccupation stage of addiction?
Lower baseline activity in anterior DMN, increased reactivity to drug cues, compromised cognitive control, increased craving and relapse
These changes contribute to the cycle of addiction.
How can DMN activity predict addiction risk?
DMN activity may help predict an individual’s risk for developing a substance use disorder (SUD)
Machine learning studies have successfully distinguished individuals with cocaine use disorder from controls based on DMN activity.
What is the significance of using resting-state imaging for DMN analysis?
More cost-effective and carries less risk compared to PET scans
This makes it potentially suitable for clinical use as an SUD biomarker, especially in adolescents.
What predictive value does the alcohol Stroop (AB) interference have?
Lower attentional bias leads to a greater decrease in the number of drinking days
This indicates that attentional bias has a causal role in alcohol abuse.
What treatments are suggested for modulating DMN activity?
Brain stimulation, nicotine replacement therapy, behavioural interventions, mindfulness-based interventions
These approaches can target self-referential processing and influence DMN activity.
How does transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) affect cravings?
It could reduce cravings in those recovering from addiction
This suggests a potential treatment avenue for addiction recovery.
What is the relationship between nicotine replacement therapy and DMN activity?
Stronger anticorrelation between DMN and the executive control network (ECN) linked to effectiveness
This connection helps in reducing withdrawal symptoms.
What are some therapies that can influence DMN activity?
Motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), mindfulness training
These therapies aim to target self-referential processing.
What is the effect of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) on DMN activity?
Decreases activity in key DMN regions like the precuneus and medial prefrontal cortex
This can help individuals make conscious decisions about drug use.
How can MBIs assist individuals in coping with negative affect?
Equip individuals with skills to manage negative emotions
This factor contributes to initial drug use.
