Lecture 1 Flashcards

1
Q

drug

A

administered substances that alters physiological functioning

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2
Q

recreational drug use

A

a drug used entirely to experience its effects

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3
Q

drug misuse

A

a drug that is not used as intended

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4
Q

drug

A

administered substance that alters physiological functioning

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5
Q

Recreational drug use

A

a drug used entirely to experience its effects

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6
Q

Drug misuse

A

a drug that is not used as intended

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7
Q

how are substances of abuse classified?

A

into different categories based on their chemical make-up and their pharmacodynamic effects

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8
Q

what are the different categories of substances of abuse? (with examples)

A
  1. CNS depressants (alcohol barbiturates, sedatives)
  2. CNS stimulants (Cocaine, Amphetamines, Caffeine, Nicotine)
  3. Opiates (Heroin, Oxycodone, Morphine, Methadone)
  4. cannabinoids (cannabis)
  5. Hallucinogens (LSD (Acid), Mescaline, Psilocybin (Mushrooms), MDMA)
  6. inhalants (Aerosol sprays, Glues, Paint Thinner, Gasoline)
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9
Q

how common is the use of addictive substances?

A

60% in the past month (in the US)

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10
Q

most common substances of abuse

A

alcohol, tobacco, marijuana

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11
Q

will everyone develop a problematic with drug use?

A

no

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12
Q

In Canada, ~__% of the population will meet criteria for substance use
disorder in their lifetime

A

22

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13
Q

is there certain types of people that are more likely to develop addiction?

A

no

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14
Q

what is addiction?

A

Chronic relapsing brain disorder characterized by a compulsive desire to use a drug despite catastrophic consequences:
- Compulsive use in the face of consequences
- Involves a loss of control over use
- Craving
- Associated with decreased pleasure from the drug

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15
Q

what are some consequences of addiction?

A
  • employment problems,
  • loss of
    interpersonal relationships,
  • neglecting household responsibilities,
  • financial difficulties,
  • medical or psychological problems
  • and even
    death
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16
Q

Currently, in Canada, __ people die daily from opioid overdose

A

20

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17
Q

in what way can we say that addiction is a brain disorder, and more specifically a chronic brain disease?

A
  • Has a biological basis
  • Disrupt the normal, healthy functioning of an organ in the body (like
    diabetes affects the pancreas, addiction affects the brain)
  • Abnormalities in brain anatomy, function, and chemistry (pre-existing vulnerabilities)
  • Like other chronic diseases, addiction is a lifelong disorder (cycles of relapse and remission)
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18
Q

addiction is not ___

A
  • Not a choice
  • Not a bad habit
  • Not due to a weakness of character
  • Not a lack of self-control or willpower
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19
Q

what can happen if people are not treated for addiction?

A
  • addiction is progressive
  • Addiction can disrupt all areas of one’s life
  • The negative effects extend to the family
  • Can even result in premature death
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20
Q

what are the phases of the addiction cycle?

A
  • binge/intoxication (drug is being consumed)
  • withdrawal/negative affect (Drug is ceased: “The Crash”)
  • preoccupation/anticipation (drug-seeking behaviour)
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21
Q

which area of the brain is associated with the binge/intoxication phase?

A

basal ganglia

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22
Q

describe the binge/intoxication phase.

A
  • Dopamine is released in rewarding
    regions of the brain (basal ganglia), where the high = (in most part) the increase in dopamine
  • Dopamine release is natural and motivates us to repeat behaviors that help us survive as a species
  • Drugs cause unnaturally large releases
    of dopamine in the brain’s reward
    center
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23
Q

what are the main dopaminergic pathways and which are involved in the rewards system (addiction)?

A

mesolimbic pathway and mesocortical involved in rewards and nigrostriatal pathway involved in learning and movement

24
Q

describe the mesolimbic pathway.

A
  • A key dopaminergic pathway connecting the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and the nucleus accumbens (part of the basal ganglia)
  • Activation of VTA neurons cause dopamine levels to increase in the nucleus accumbens
  • Facilitates both natural rewards and drug reward and reinforcement
25
Q

do all drugs cause similar addiction rates?

A

no all have a specific capture rate

26
Q

how does the brain’s reward system change with time of drug use?

A
  • Dopamine reinforces enjoyable behaviors by linking what feels good with the desire (motivation) to repeat the behavior - “reinforcement learning
  • brain assigns high value of importance to the drug and Low value is assigned to other important aspects of life (e.g. family, work, …)
  • The brain also assigns high value to people, places, contexts (“cues”) that remind the person of the drug (incentive salience)
27
Q

what is a craving?

A

a strong feeling of wanting something; a strong or uncontrollable desire

28
Q

what is a cue?

A

Something that does not normally have any meaning on its own, but by association becomes mentally linked with the “high” of the drug

29
Q

examples of cues

A

place, smell, a person, a location, money, emotions

30
Q

why can people relapse even years after they have stopped using?

A

The strong association between the cue and the craving (expected “high”) is hard-wired into the brain as a memory and it is very hard to overwrite or erase

31
Q

how does the pattern of continued drug use occur?

A
  • Cravings can lead to an overwhelmingly strong motivational drive to prioritize drug use and to choose the drug in spite of pain or other negative effects
  • and they can override plans to moderate or abstain from drugs
32
Q

what is tolerance? context in addiction.

A

with repeated drug use over time, the same amount of the drug is not producing the same effect, and here we see a downregulation of dopamine receptors (lower receptor density in the brain) so the high isn’t as high and they start using more

33
Q

how does the wanting and the linking of the drug change with the amount of time a person takes a drug? why is this seen?

A
  • liking decreases
  • wanting increases
  • they are separate systems (independent neurobiological mechanisms), which normally work in sync, but this is disrupted in repeated drug use.
34
Q

When is Dopamine Released in People with Addiction?

A
  • The drug itself does not induce dopamine, but rather the anticipation of the reward leads to dopamine release (how cues work)
  • Dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area are activated when a reward is expected
  • Increases in dopamine provide the motivational drive required to perform a behavior (e.g., secure the reward) – Promotes habit-building behavior and Drug wanting
35
Q

what part of the brain is associated with the withdrawal phase?

A

Extended Amgydala
“Brain stress system”

36
Q

what does the type/severity of withdrawal symptoms depend on?

A
  • drug type
  • duration of use
  • comsuption patterns
37
Q

what is the onset, peak and how long do withdrawal symptoms last?

A

onset: 4-12 hours
- peak: 1-2 days
- last: weeks to months

38
Q

what are some withdrawal symtpms?

A
  • sweating
  • nausea
  • trembling
  • irregular sleep
  • irritability
  • mood swings
  • body aches
  • chills
  • cravings
  • anxiety and depression
  • seizures
39
Q

withdrawal symptoms drive ___

A

drug use (since it relieves the withdrawal symptoms)

40
Q

what is the opiate withdrawal syndrome timeline

A
  • 72 hrs: physical symptoms at a a peak
  • 1 week: physical symptoms start to lessen
  • 2 weeks: psychological and emotional symptoms
  • 1 month: cravings and depression
41
Q

which part of the brain is involved with the preoccupation/anticipation phase?

A

prefrontal cortex

42
Q

what does the prefrontal cortex do?

A

Acts as the CEO of the brain:
- Executive function
- Reasoning: Weighs pros against cons
- Decision-making

43
Q

describe the preoccupation/anticipation phase

A
  • A person begins to seek substances
    following a period of abstinence.
  • Involves impairments in the
    prefrontal cortex (more drug use = smaller prefrontal cortex)
  • so, People with addiction have a
    reduced ability to inhibit impulsive
    behaviors
44
Q

what is drug dependence?

A

chronic drug use resulting in physiological changes that will
lead to the occurrence of negative symptoms (withdrawal) when
the drug is ceased

45
Q

what are the types of drug dependences? describe each.

A
  • physical dependence: leads to tolerance (need increasingly larger doses) and withdrawal symptoms
  • psychological dependence: subjective feeling that the drug is needed to maintain a feeling of well-being
46
Q

what is used to diagnose substance use disorders?

A

DSM: diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders
- DSM-5
- DSM-IV

47
Q

how do DSM-5 and DSM-IV compare?

A

DSM-5 categorized by different substances, with needed to have at least 2 of all the criteria to be considered substance use

DSM-IV separates abuse and dependance, needing at have least one of the criteria for abuse and 3 for dependance

48
Q

what are the DSM-5 criteria for substance use disorder?

A
  • Failure to meet obligations
  • Repeated use in situations where it is physically dangerous
  • Repeated relationship problems
  • Continued use despite problems caused by the substance
  • Tolerance
  • Withdrawal
  • Substance taken for a longer time or in greater amounts than intended
  • Efforts to reduce or control use do not work
  • Much time spent trying to obtain the substance
  • Social, hobbies, or work activities given up or reduced
  • Continued use despite knowing problems caused by substance
  • Craving to use the substance is strong
49
Q

what is the severity rating for substance use disorder according to DSM-5

A
  • mild: 2-3 criteria
  • moderate: 4-5 criteria
  • severe: 6 or more
50
Q

risk factors for problematic substance use

A
  • Genetics/Family history: Account for 40-60% of a person’s vulnerability to addiction
  • Environment/Stress: Early-life trauma and other adverse childhood experiences
  • Personality: Impulsivity, novelty-seeking, risk-taking
  • Comorbidity: Presence of a psychiatric disorder that co-occurs with substance use
  • Age: Younger use is associated with greater risk of developing addiction
51
Q

what is the substance use continuum?

A
  • Risky (hazardous) substance use refers to quantity/frequency indicators of consumption
  • SUD refers to individuals who meet criteria for a DSM-5 diagnosis
  • Addiction refers to individuals who exhibit persistent difficulties with self-regulation of drug consumption
52
Q

Why is Drug Use During Adolescence Riskier than in Adulthood?

A

The human brain does not finish developing until the age of 25, so it interferes with normal brain development

The last part of the brain to develop is the prefrontal cortex

53
Q

what is adolescence neurological function characteritized by?

A
  1. High functioning reward system: “GO” signals: The adolescent brain’s reward center is very sensitive to reward
  2. Underdeveloped prefrontal cortex: “STOP” signals:
    -Less ability to “put the brake” on risky behaviours:
    - Impulsive
    - Sensation-seeking
    - Poor self-control

Adolescent behavior is driven more by impulses/desires and less by critical and logical considerations of outcomes

54
Q

consequence of adolescent drug use

A

may prime the brain for the later development of:
- Cognitive problems (due to improper development of the PFC)
- Psychiatric disorders such as psychosis, schizophrenia, depression
- Addiction

Delaying the onset of first drug use is crucial for normal brain development

55
Q

what are some treatment options for addiction?

A
  • Psychosocial Treatments (e.g., CBT, MI, Cognitive reappraisal)
  • Pharmacological Treatments
  • Neuromodulation (e.g., rTMS)