Drug and Alcohol Addiction Flashcards
What is abuse?
What is dependence?
Abuse is an intense desire to obtain increasing amounts of a particular drug to the exclusion of all other activities
Dependence is the body’s physical need (addition) to a specific drug
Substance abuse disorders are distinguished by the presence of what characteristics compared to non-pathological substance use?
tolerance
withdrawal
compulsive use
substance related problems
What is withdrawal?
the presence of the characteristic withdrawal syndrome for the substance - so that the same or closely related substance is used to avoid or relieve withdrawal symptoms
What is tolerance?
a state of progressively decreased responsiveness to a substance and markedly increased amounts of the substance ingested to achieve the desired effect
WHat is the prevalence of substance use disorders in clinics?
20%!
What is the most common illicit drug used in the US?
marijuana
Of prescription medications, what are the most commonly abused?
pain relievers - opioids
Which age group uses the most drugs?
18-25 yr olds
Is there a gender difference in marijuana use?
not much - females a little less
What are the main risk factors for drug abuse
early exposure
peer pressure and social environment
alcohol advertising and marketing
biological and genetic factors
What are the particularly high risk groups for drug use?
adolescents
older adults
men
american indians and whites
mental illness
homeless
upper midwest
family history
Employed individuals have ___ number of users while unemployed have ___ rates of use.
higher
In general, inheritability for drug abuse ranges from what?
40-60%
WHat neurotransmitters are associated with the positive hedonic effects of drug abuse?
dopamine
opioid peptides
serotonin
GABA
What withdrawal effects are associated with the following:
dopamine
opioid peptides
serotonin
GABA
dopamine = dysophoria
opioid peptides = pain
serotonin = dysphoria
GABA = anxiety, panic attacks
In what ways are cannabinoids used medicinally?
antiemetic, increase appetite
anticonvulsant
analgesic
What percentage of marijuana users become addicted?
9%
What are the endocrine effects of cannabinoids?
decreased testosterone (and sperm count)
inhibit LH, prolactin, growth hormone, but not FSH
Reduces TSH and T4 in animals
What are the two main stimulants used most often in north america?
cocaine and methamphetamine
All stimulants increase what group of NTs?
monoamines:
domapine initially, but chronically depletes
noreprinephrine
serotonin (MDMA blocks reuptake and cocaine increases firing)
What are the two major classes of sedatives/hypnotics?
barbiturates
benzodiazepines
The symptoms rebound (withdrawal) from sedatives usually lasts for how long and in what percentage of patients?
up to 3 weeks - in about 50% of patients taking BDZs for more than a few months
What is symptoms reemergence and how is it different from symptom rebound?
it is NOT a withdrawal symdrome,…
it is the reoccurrence of the original disorder to the same level as before treatment
protracted withdrawal can last ___
several months
What neurotransmitter pathway reinforces alcohol abuse?
excitation of the VTA dopaminergic neurons
this facilitates glutaminergic transmission in mesolimbic and mesocortical areas
reinforces behavior
The average adult metabolizes 1 ounce every ___ hour(s) depending on body weight.
3 hours
How much higher is a woman’s BAL compared to a man for the same amount of ingested alcohol?
20-25%
What two NTs does alcohol enhance to have an inhibitory function?
GABA and glycine
ALcohol also ____ conduction of serotonin receptors.
enhances
What symptoms would you expect to see with alcohol withdrawal?
seizures, tachy, HTN, fever
later on you can have hallucinations
What is the primary challenge with opioid dependence and difficulty in quitting?
the opioid receptors in the brbain are affected in such a way that it takes the affected areas of the brain 3 months to heal, during which time they have anhedonia - the absence of pleasure or the ability to experience it
huge risk for relapse
