Glossary Addiction Flashcards
ABUSE
Non-medical use of a substance. It can be a pre-phase of addiction, and it generally follows the recreational use of a substance.
ADDICTION
Use/active seeking of a substance characterized by loss of control and use/seek despite its negative
effects/consequences
ALCOHOL:
addictive substance whose receptor profile is multifaceted. It mainly acts on GABAa receptors (acute
effects) disinhibiting DA cells in the brain reward circuitry.
AMPHETAMINE:
psychoactive addictive substance that act directly on DA transmission by blocking DA reuptake
(DAT-dopamine transporter) and enhancing the activity of VMAT. Result is more DA in the brain reward circuitry
AMYGDALA
structure located in the limbic system involved in emotional control and fear responses.
ATTENTION
cognitive function by which we can filter out irrelevant information and focus on relevant stimuli.
BASAL GANGLIA
heterogeneous subcortical nuclei involved in motor response, and motor behavior (e.g.
movement scaling). They also play a role in habitual behavior, reinforcing the seeking behavior after initial
acquisition of a given substance.
BLOOD BRAIN BARRIER
barrier made by tons of capillaries that protect the brain from external insults.
Psychoactive drugs can pass through it exerting their role in the CNS.
BRAIN REWARD CIRCUITRY
part of the limbic system involved in pleasant/aversive experience. It responds to
rewarding/aversive stimuli promoting a release or inhibition of the neurotransmitter dopamine from the ventral
tegmental area to the nucleus accumbens
BENZODIAZEPINES:
Medical prescriptions with addictive potential acting of GABA transmission. They modulate
anxiety.
CLEAR UP
removal of a neurotransmitter from synaptic cleft. Some drugs interfere with it (se. cocaine for DAT).
COCAINE:
highly addictive substance which directly interacts with DA transmission. Acute effect is given by a
profound blockade of DAT. Result is more dopamine in the brain reward circuitry.
CRAVING
spasmodic need of a substance which has created dependence in a given subject.
DBS:
technique by which implanted electrodes stimulate a given brain region involved in a specific behavior. It is
widely used to treat Parkinson and trials have been done also to treat alcoholism.
DECISION MAKING:
cognitive
function by which a specific behavior can be manifested based on expectancies and analysis of the outcomes.
DEPRESSANT:
in addiction science is the effect of a substance that cause sedation in a given subject. Many
sedatives/depressant act indirectly on DA transmission.
DESENSITIZATION:
lack of response to a specific substance because of neurochemical adaptations of the
receptors which normally mediate the effects of that substance.
DOPAMINE:
neurotransmitter involved in pleasure/aversion. It is the maestro of the limbic/reward system. All
the substances that create dependence promote an acute release of DA in the nucleus accumbens.
DRUG:
Substance other than food that once administered produces an effect due to a molecule/receptor
interaction. If it passes the BBB is called psychoactive (in many cases). Addictive drugs can be natural (extracted
from plants) or synthetic (chemically synthetized, LSD).
DSM
manual where the criteria for a give mental disorder are stated. There is a section also for addiction.