Exam 1: Drug Abuse and Addiction Flashcards
chronically relapsing disorder characterized by:
- compulsion to seek out and consume drug
- cravings
- loss of control to limiting intake
- emergence of negative emotional state when access to drug is prevented
addiction
physical dependence
abstinence leads to highly unpleasant withdrawl symptoms (opposite drug effects) to motivate person to return to drug use
remission
drug free period
relapse
drug use occurs despite negative consequences
gateway theory
starting with a less severe drug that leads to you trying more severe forms of the drug
- all people who have done heroin have done marijuana (marijuana would be gateway drug)
Pathological drug use cycle
- periods of preoccupation of drugs and anticipation of upcoming use
- periods of drug intoxication some cases bingeing
- periods following drug use, withdrawal symptoms and negative mood
ICD
WHO-developed by global agency
different criteria for clinical diagnosis and research use
ALL languages
general classifications for ALL diseases
DSM-5
APA-developed by single nation
1 version
english
ONLY psychological/psychiatric disorders
substance use disorders by DSM are characterized by individuals who:
- physical dependence
- desire to reduce drug use
- significant time spent seeking and using drugs
- use continues despite significant problems
severity component to DSM diagnosis
mild: individuals who meet only 2 or 3 criteria
moderate: individuals who meet 4 or 5 criteria
severe: individuals who meet 6 or more criteria
3 stage addiction cycle
- intoxication
- shift in taking drug for its positive effects to taking them to avoid the unpleasant aspects of withdrawal
- preoccupation and anticipation stage onsets
time during which the drug creates an impaired state
intoxication
what is addiction related to?
- anatomical characteristics of the brain
- functional connectivity in circuits
- changes in neurotransmitter concentrations
acute drug effects that produce a maladaptive and impaired state
- changes in neuroplasticity
- impairment of vision and balance
neurobiology: reward circuitry - motivation
intoxication
repeated drug use results in physical or psychological withdrawal effects
neurobiology: amygdala, hypothalamus, insula, autonomic nervous system
withdrawal
behavior orients from seeking natural reinforcers to seeking drug reinforcers
neurobiology: prefrontal cortex, amygdala, thalamus, hippocampus
preoccupation and anticipation
most drugs of abuse affect _______ directly or indirectly
mesolimbic dopamine pathway
most drugs of abuse affect _______ directly or indirectly
mesolimbic dopamine pathway
where are the cell bodies of the mesolimbic dopamine pathway?
ventral tegmental area (VTA)
axons project to the nucleus accumbens (ventral striatum)
natural rewards and addictive drugs both cause…
dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens
stimulating the mesolimbic dopamine pathway produces ____
positive reinforcement
- signals positive outcomes
how to addictive drugs shape behavior?
they mimic the effects of natural rewards
what brain mechanism controls “wanting” the drug
mesolimbic dopamine patwhay
what brain mechanism controls “liking” a drug
PFC, opioid system, limbic areas
what does brain imaging suggest about drug addicts
- functional abnormalities in PFC
reduced basal glucose metabolism in PFC following chronic drug use (means less activity in the brain since you need glucose for energy)
role of PFC
executive function (high order cognitive abilities), contributes to regulation of emotional and motivational processes
what does PFC dysfunction contribute to
anticipation of drug use and preoccupation
- intrusive thoughts, craving, lack of impulse control
- cotricolimbic pathway dysfunction
corticolimbic pathway dysfunction
PFC —- hippocampus, amygdala, nucleus accumbens (lets emotional state run wild)
drug withdrawal may cause long term changes in brain that can…
- down-regulate activity in mesolimbic dopamine system
2. activation of anti-reward system
antireward system
- amygdala and brainstem
- inc NE and neuropeptides CRF and dynorphin
what does inc NE and neuropeptides do
limits/suppresses pleasurable feelings
reduces negative consequences of drug withdrawal
cue induced craving correlates with activation of
DLPFC, OFC, ACC, dorsal and ventral striata, and insula
insula
implicated in motivational regulation, including drug craving and control over drug use
- does it feel good or not?
conscious awareness of inner states (butterflies in stomach, racing heart, flushed skin)
insula
what is addiction potential of a substance influenced by
route of administration
shorter duration of action, higher addiction liability - short but intense
strongest euphoric effects due to rapid drug delivery to brain
IV and inhalation/smoking
