Key Question Flashcards
How many opiate users were there in the U.K. in 2013/14 and how many were successfully treated using drug therapy (AO1)?
- Over 293,000
- Over 29,000
Which institute states addiction is an illness (AO1)?
The national institute for drug abuse
Which institute says drugs give you a ‘brain disease’ and is in need of treatment (AO1)?
The US National Institute for Health
What is a problem with drug treatment (A01)?
There’s a ceiling effect if tolerant
What has buprenorphrine been shown as effective in treating (A02)?
Heroin addiction
How does buprenorphrine work (A02)?
Enters the receptors that heroin binds to and reduces the effect of withdrawal symptoms
What may be an alternative to drug therapy (AO2)?
Counselling
How does heroin effect the brain (AO2)?
It binds to opioid receptors and slows down motor functions, causing relaxation
Why is the timing of the medication important (AO2)?
Because it can “push” heroin out of the receptors which can cause serious withdrawal
What did Alexander (rat park) show?
- Rats had the choice to drink regular or drugged water in a tight cage
- Later inserted into rat park where they were surrounded by other rats and entertainment so chose not to drink the drugged water
What did Li et al show?
Cues for heroin affect brain functioning (things that remind people of heroin cause cravings, not just biology)
Why is this an important topic for society?
Need to know if treatment is effective, otherwise money in the NHS is being wasted
What did West et al. discover?
Found buprenorphrine is more likely to be used illicitly than other treatments such as methadone
