Neurobiology of Addiction Flashcards
what needs to be met before a gaming disorder can be diagnosed?
evident >12 months
must be so severe that it affects interpersonal relationships
what is the mnemonic for asking about a particular addiction?
cut down
annoyed
guilty
eye-opener- first thing you do in the morning is….
where does the brain’s reward pathway arise from?
ventral tegmental area
key neurotransmitter of the brain’s reward pathway?
dopamine
how does dopamine work in the reward pathway?
motivates individual to repeat the behaviour to indicate the concept of “want”
how can the reward pathway be blocked?
via dopamine antagonists
what do most drugs work on in the reward pathway to cause pleasure?
GABA
opioid receptors
nicotonic receptors
= ultimately dopamine release
why do we become addicted to drugs?
the excess dopamine release from the drug reactivates the reward pathway to make you “want” the substance again
what happens to dopamine receptors after repeated substance abuse?
dopamine receptors downregulate and you begin to develop a tolerance, so more dopamine is needed -> take more of the substance
how is the reward pathway affected by repeated substance abuse?
the threshold for reward remains extremely high because it is so often upregulated from drugs so in normal life (without substances) the reward response is no longer adequate/pleasurable
initial stages of drug taking is driven by…
reward response (positive reinforcement)
later stages of drug taking is driven by…
thirst (negative reinforcement)
what does the prefrontal cortex do?
helps behaviour sets goals focuses attention makes sound decisions keeps impulses and emotion under control basically the "mum" of the brain
prefrontal cortex is one of the last parts of the brain to develop T or F
T
cortical maturation progresses in what pattern?
back to front
what effect does dopamine have on the prefrontal cortex?
allows you to update info and select new goals
prevents compulsive repetition of a behaviour
what parts of the brain are critical in acquisition, consolidation and expression of drug stimulus learning?
hippocampus
striatum
amydala
use of the orbitofrontal cortex is ___ in addiction
increased
what part of the brain makes decisions to carry out the behaviour?
orbitofrontal cortex
what part of the brain is mainly in charge of motivation/drive to do something?
orbitofrontal cortex
acute stress triggers release of __ in the reward pathway
dopamine
chronic stress has what effect on dopamine receptors?
dampens dopaminergic activity via downregulation of receptors
why are young people at higher risk of addiction than older?
their prefrontal cortex isnt fully matured so they can’t make rational decisions
