Evaluation of brain chemistry and dopamine in Nicotine addiction Flashcards
A03 - Supporting reseach?
P - There is supporting research evidence that supports the involvment of dopamine with smoking addiction.
E - Paterson’s et al (2002) research found support for the role of nicotine and dopmaine through research with epiliespy drug (Gamma-vinyl GABA)
E - This drug (G-V GABA) reduces the surge of dopamine in the nucleus accumbes that occures after nicotine. this effctively reduces the addictive properties of nictone, without major side effects.
L - This supports that dopamine does have a key role to play in nicotine addiction which can help us consider ways in which this knowledge could be used to treat nicotine.
- Paterson et al (2002)
- epilepsy drug (gammavinyl GABA)
- nucleus accumbes
- ## addictive properties
A03 - A weakness?
P - However the dopamine explanation only appears to account for the NATURE side of the debate.
E - Risk factor of peer group shows us that we learn through observation and peer encouragment, which can encouarge smoking nicotine.
E - This could imply that the explanatioin could be more comprehensive if it takes into account nurturing influencing of nicotine addiction so this gives it a more holistic view.
- Nature side of debte
- peer groups
- holistic
A03 - what kind of methodology?
P - the explanation is praised for it’s scientific methodology. The dopamine accounts uses both empiricable and falsifiable methods to help identidy the biochemical action of nicotine.
E - For example, dopamine and NAcR can be objectively measured through cerebro-spinal fluid (CSF)
E - Sophisticated PET scans as well as carefully examining urine for waste products.
L - This means the dopamine account of nicotine addictions is likely to be trustworthy (valid) and reliable as an account of nicotine addiction because of the objective mesures used to explain this addiction.
- scientific methodology
- dopamine
- NaCR
- Cerebro-spinal fluid
- PET
