impulse control

Question 1

What were the personality changes observed in Phineas Gage after his injury?

Answer 1

• Intellectual manifestations were feeble
• Fitful, irreverent, and indulged in gross profanity
• Impatient of restraint or advice when it conflicted with his desires

Question 2

Who is credited with the birth of psychosurgery and lobotomies?

Answer 2

Antonio Egas Moniz

Question 3

What was the variability in outcomes of lobotomies, according to Prof. Elliot Valenstein?

Answer 3

• Some patients seemed little changed, holding responsible jobs
• Others became impulsive, childish, or even vegetative
• The operation was crude, damaging different parts of the brain

Question 4

How did the introduction of antipsychotic Thorazine influence lobotomies?

Answer 4

The introduction of Thorazine marked the end of lobotomies as a treatment for mental illness.

Question 5

What is the function of the frontal cortex, as described by Robert Sapolsky?

Answer 5

The frontal cortex helps you make decisions when there is a choice between an easier option and a harder but better one.

Question 6

What concept is illustrated by the preference for a larger, delayed reward over a smaller, immediate one?

Answer 6

Myopic Discounting of Future Rewards

Question 7

What is the Iowa Gambling Task, and what does it test?

Answer 7

• Subjects choose cards from four decks: two with large short-term gains and long-term losses (non-advantageous), and two with smaller short-term gains but long-term gains (advantageous).
• It tests decision-making, particularly under conditions of uncertain long-term consequences.

Question 8

How do frontal lobe lesions affect decision-making, according to Clark et al. (2003)?

Answer 8

Subjects with frontal lesions continue choosing from disadvantageous decks, despite obvious failure, similar to addiction-related decision-making impairments.

Question 9

What is the significance of the term “addict” derived from the Latin word ‘addictus’?

Answer 9

It refers to being bound or a slave/devoted to something, such as compulsive drug seeking and taking.

Question 10

How does drug use affect addiction, according to research?

Answer 10

• 60% of people try illicit drugs, but only 5-10% develop an addiction.
• Cocaine use shows that only 15-16% of users develop an addiction in 10 years.

Question 11

What is the brain’s reward/pleasure system, as discovered by James Olds and Peter Milner?

Answer 11

Brain reward self-stimulation (BRS), where stimulating certain brain areas induces pleasurable feelings.

Question 12

What areas of the brain are involved in the meso-limbic dopamine system?

Answer 12

• Ventral Tegmental Area (VTA)
• Nucleus Accumbens (NA)
• Prefrontal Cortex (PFC)
• Hippocampus (HC)
• Amygdala

Question 13

What did Pfefferbaum et al. (1997) find in alcoholics regarding brain volume?

Answer 13

They found reduced cortical gray matter volume in alcoholics compared to controls.

Question 14

How does long-term drug use affect brain structure, according to studies by Volkow et al. (2001)?

Answer 14

Drug use, such as cocaine, leads to smaller prefrontal lobe volume and impaired decision-making.

Question 15

How do PET scans show the effects of cocaine abuse on brain function?

Answer 15

PET scans reveal reduced orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) function in cocaine users, especially during protracted withdrawal.

Question 16

How do methamphetamine-dependent subjects perform in delay discounting tasks?

Answer 16

Methamphetamine users tend to choose smaller, immediate rewards more quickly, reflecting a steeper discounting rate

Question 17

What is the ethical dilemma in studying addiction and prefrontal cortex damage?

Answer 17

The issue of causality—whether drugs alter prefrontal cortex function or if pre-existing traits like impulsivity make individuals more likely to take drugs.

Question 18

What is the relationship between long-term drug use and impulsivity in decision-making?

Answer 18

Long-term drug use can increase impulsive behavior and loss of inhibitory control due to changes in the prefrontal cortex, but impulsive traits may also increase vulnerability to drug use.

Question 19

What does the prefrontal model on addiction suggest?

Answer 19

• Decreased impulse control and increased drug intake due to structural and functional changes in prefrontal regions caused by drug use.
• Pre-existing impulsivity traits increase the likelihood of drug intake.

Question 20

What are the long-term effects of drug use on the brain and behavior?

Answer 20

Drug use leads to long-lasting changes in brain areas involved in motivation, emotion, and decision-making, increasing impulsive decision-making and making it harder to control drug intake.

Question 21

How does impulsivity relate to drug consumption?

Answer 21

High impulsivity traits correlate with increased drug consumption, as seen in animal models where impulsive rats consume more drugs.

Question 22

What structural changes in the brain are seen in response to amphetamine use?

Answer 22

Amphetamine use produces structural changes, such as dendritic spine growth, in limbic forebrain regions, which can last over a month.

Question 23

How do differences in impulsivity contribute to drug addiction?

Answer 23

Individuals with higher impulsivity are more likely to take drugs and may experience more pronounced changes in brain regions like the prefrontal cortex, further impairing their ability to make controlled decisions.

Question 24

How do drugs affect decision-making processes over time?

Answer 24

Long-term drug use can lead to poor decision-making, such as persistently choosing disadvantageous options, due to changes in the brain’s reward and inhibitory control systems.