drugs and the brain Flashcards
what is substance use
patterns of maladaptive behavior as results of substance use; substance induced: intoxication, withdrawl, substance induced mental disorders (psychosis, depressive disorders, anxiety disorders)
define substance abuse disorder
taking the substance in larger amounts or for longer than you meant to. wanting to cut down or stop using the substance but not managing to. spending a lot of time getting, using, or recovering from use of substance. cravings and urges to use the substance. not managing to do what you shoul at work, home or school, because of substance use. continuing to use, even when it caues problems in relationships. giving up important social, occupational or recreational activities because of substance use. using substances again and again, even when it puts you in danger. continuing to use, even when the you know you have a physical or psychological problem that could have been caused or made worse by the substance. needing more of a substance to get the effect you want (tolerance). development of withdrawal symptoms, which can be relieved by taking more of the substance. on continuum from mild to sever 2-3 = mild; 4-5 = moderat, 6+ = severe
What is addiction?
dependence; desire to seek substance. inability to avoid/restrict use. negative emotional state when substance is unavailable. roughly half a trillon dollars is lost to the US economy for substance abuse. addiction: develeopmental, genetic, and environmental factors influence an individual’s susceptibility to addiction. not unique to humans, pattern of addiction
What are substances associated with abuse?
prescription medications (used to treat anxiety, insomnia, or pain)
legal substances: alcohol, caffeine, tobacco, and household chemicals.
illegal substances: methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin
how do drugs effect the brain?
changes the neuroplasticity (pathways shaped by experience).
drugs can make dopamine the primary impact on the reward system (leads to heightened sense of pleasure) mesolimbic dopamine system (system that rewards experiences, motivation, reinforcement of behavior)
What is the disorder that you obtain from having low dopamine levels?
Parkinson’s; when given dopamine patients may show pathological gambling, hypersexuality, compulsive shopping, compulsive eating, and compulsive medication use. supports idea that dopamine system involved in addiction
What is the epidemiology of substance use disorder?
lifelong prevalence for sub abuse in persons over 18 = 16.7%. ETOH: 13.8%, 6.1% age 12+ use illicit drugs. ETOH and cigarettes most common substances but MJ,and coke also used. steady decrease in use of substances but increase among kids under 18. generally, more common in males than females.
Name some CNS depressants or sedatives
barbituartes, benzodiazepines, ETOH are generalized CNS depressants, low doses produce relaxation, higher dose produce stupor - sleep - coma - death. withdrawal can be sever: anxiety, confused, fever, chills, nausea, hallucinations, convulsions, death
define alcohol abuse
moderate drinking = lower risk pattern of drinking, no more than one drink for women or two drinks for men per day. heavy drinking = levels exceeding moderate. binge drinking = four to five drinks or more on a single occasion
What are the effects of ETOH (alcohol)?
Short-term effects: depresses CNS functioning. feel happy, uninhibited, reduced concentration. 0.1% = at 5 beers problems with muscle coordination, walking straight line, slurred speech. 0.4-0.5% = person loses consciousness, breathing and heart rate slow considerably, black out. 0.55% = coma or death. long term effects: hallucinations, delirium tremores, cirrhosis of the liver; also liver mouth and throat cancer, increased risk for heart disease and strokes. increased risk for encephalitis. fetal ETOH syndrome in children of pregnant women who drink during pregnancy.
What is korsaoff’s syndrome?
caused by the lack of thiamine (vitamin B1), which affects the brain and nervous system. excessive use of alcohol is often the cause of thiamine deficiency bc: many drinkers have poor eating habits. alcohol can inflame the stomach lining and impede the body’s ability to absorb the key vitamins it receives
What is the etiology of substance abuse disorders?
genetic factors: ETOH runs in families, according to twin and adoption studies. familial ETOH: family hx of alcoholism, develops at earlier age (before 30). Non-familial: no family history, may develop later. neurochemical factors: major NT involved in development of substance abuse are opioid, catecholamine (especially dopamine) and GABA systems. involved in sensation of reward in which may mediate effects of speed and coke. Sociocultural: cultural values play role in drinking patterns. age, gender, SES, ethinicity, religion and geography all influence ETOH use and abuse. Men, young adultsm niddle SES, catholics have higher rates of ETOH consumption than women, older adults, low SES or protestants, respectively. Irish AM and native AM have higher alcoholism rates. france and italy have high rates of consumption, yet ETOH rate in france higher than italy
What are some ways to prevent substance abuse?
individual approaches: motivational interviewing (assess student alcohol consumption using a formal screening instrument) and students recieve nonjudgmental feedback on their drinking behavior and its negative consequences.
students also recieve suggestions to support their decision to change.
studied on motivational enhancement report significant reductions in alcohol consumption and negative consequences such as driving after drinking.
Why does CBT work?
CBT: programs teach skills to modify beliefs or behaviors associated with high-risk drinking, although many also incorporate information, values clarification, and/or normative reeducation components within the skills teaching context. promising results, especially for college males and those who are heavy drinkers.
Why would lowering the public policy help?
law designed to decrease ETOH related harm have been successful. Minimum legal drinking age: uniform drinking age act (1984). higher drinking age = fewer # of fatal crashes, self reported driving after drinking and drunk driving accidents. lower rates of suicide, homicde and vandalism. Lowered blood alcohol levels (BAL) most states now have 0.08 as legal limit. saw decrease in accidents and fatalities due to drunk driving. license revocation. RESTRICT ABILITY: increased price of ETOH via local and state taxes (as price of ETOH increases, consumption decreases). restrict licenses for retail - decrease # of places licensed to sell ETOH in particular area (heavy consumption of ETOH on campouses increase when have # of establishments who sell ETOH near campus.
