Marc Lewis Video Flashcards
In the current model of drug addiction, what are the 3 major brain areas affected? What does each do?
Prefrontal cortex- controls actions
Midbrain- dopamine pump; dopamine drives behavior towards goal
Striatum- motivation for behavior
In the current model of drug addiction, the ___ (brain region) directs lots of ____ (neurotransmitter) towards ____ (brain region). A loss of connections occurs between what 2 brain regions, and what is the result in terms of behavior?
Midbrain Dopamine Striatum Prefrontal cortex and striatum Drug cues direct behavior rather than prefrontal cortex
Chronic drug use leads to loss of ___ ____ volume in the ____ (brain region). A similar loss occurs in what natural process?
Gray matter
Prefrontal cortex
Development
Synaptic pruning in development: what decreases and what is strengthened?
Number of overall synapses decreases (“extras” are cut)
Important connections are strengthened so signals can be sent more rapidly
Why does Dr. Lewis argue that developmental synaptic pruning is similar to what occurs in chronic drug use?
Both result in a loss of gray matter in the prefrontal cortex
According to Dr. Lewis, what happens to the gray matter volume in the prefrontal cortex following a period of sobriety?
Gray matter increases
Why does Dr. Lewis state that drugs themselves don’t cause addiction?
Other addictions (binge eating, internet addiction, etc.) change the brain in similar ways as substance abuse does (i.e. loss of gray matter in prefrontal cortex)
In the study with children who had anxiety and aggression, how did therapy change their brains?
Those who responded to therapy had decreased activation in areas associated with problem behavior
Feedback loop that occurs in drug addiction that makes it difficult to quit drug use:
1) Perception of ____ starts the feedback cycle
2) ____ release from the ____ to the ____ causes ____
3) ____ signals for more ____: feedback cycle intensifies
4) When ___ is too intense, drug user plans to obtain drugs
5) Drug use triggers sense of ____- learning through ___ ____ and solidification of ____ connections
1) Trigger
2) Dopamine
Midbrain
Striatum
Craving
3) Striatum
Dopamine
4) Craving
5) Relief
Positive reinforcement
Synaptic
“Now appeal” in drug addiction: what is it, what fuels it, and loss of connections between what two areas of the brain exacerbates it?
Immediate appeal of reward seems to be worth more than imagined long-term reward
Dopamine fuels it
Striatum and prefrontal cortex
“Now appeal” in drug addiction is illustrated through study:
1) Participants had to choose between what two types of rewards?
2) How did TMS discombobulation of the prefrontal cortex affect participants’ decision making?
1) Small and immediate reward or large and later reward
2) Participants had a harder time choosing large and later reward
What is ego fatigue? It occurs in response to what? What causes it?
Loss of self-control
Forcing self to suppress urges
Areas of brain in charge of self-control lose ability to control behavior over time with constant use
Dr. Lewis uses the theory of ego fatigue to address what problems with AA and the “Just Say No” campaign?
AA and “Just Say No” urge complete abstinence from substances
Ego fatigue occurs when drug users try to be completely abstinent, which sets them up for failure
Ego fatigue is illustrated in the study where participants had to watch a sad movie clip:
1) What were the two conditions following the movie?
2) Which group showed reduced cortical activity in areas that are involved in impulse control?
1) Suppress emotions or think about messages of clip
2) Suppress emotion group showed lower cortical activity
Rehab programs are mostly focused on what model of addiction? Many of them use what model of treatment?
Disease model of addiction
12 step model
