Preclinical Studies in the Evaluation of anti-Addiction Drugs

Question 1

WHO estimate of global addiction deaths

Answer 1

12.4% of global deaths related to addiciton

Question 2

Savings of treatment of addiction versus related healthcare costs

Answer 2

For every dollar spent on treatment, seven are saved

in related healthcare costs

Question 3

In which part of the brain does intensity of cue-induced activity correlate with relapse probability?

Answer 3

Medial prefrontal cortex

Question 4

Final common pathway of addiction

Answer 4

Prefrontal cortex -> Nucleus accumbens core -> Ventral pallidum

Question 5

Cues that can lead to final common pathway of addiciton

Answer 5

Stress (amygdala), drug-related cues (ventral tegmental area, basolateral amygdala)

Question 6

What does it mean that alcoholism is a polymodal disorder?

Answer 6

Not every alcoholic is alcoholic for the same reason

Question 7

Issue with interplay between alcoholism and comorbid psychiatric disorders

Answer 7

Causation unclear. Psychiatric disorder because of alcohol abuse or alcohol abuse to self-medicate for psychiatric disorder

Question 8

Drugs used to treat alcoholism
1)
2)
3)
4)

Answer 8

1) Naltrexone
2) Disulphiram (antabuse)
3) Benzodiazepines (for withdrawal)
4) Antidepressants

Question 9

Problems with disulphiram

Answer 9

Extremely effective in preventing alcohol consumption, but needs a high degree of compliance.

Question 10

Disulphiram

Answer 10

Inhibits acetaldehyde dehydrogenase. Alcohol is converted to acetaldehyde in the liver. Acetaldehyde toxic, if it builds up, you feel really sick.

Question 11

Naltrexone
1
2
3

Answer 11

1) Used to treat alcoholism
2) Variable outcomes for patients
3) More effective in those with family history of alcoholism, early age of use, comorbid use of other drugs

Question 12

Model of drug-seeking behaviour 
1
2
3
4

Answer 12

1) Allow rat to self-administer drug. With administration, an light illuminates.
2) Once rat is addicted, remove access to drug when rat attempts self-administration.
3) After several months, show rat light that was associated with drug use.
4) Rat begins self-administering drug again

Question 13

Way to reduce amount which rats relapse in models of drug-seeking behaviour

Answer 13

Orexin1 receptor antagonists

Question 14

Drugs used to stop nicotine addiction
1
2
3

Answer 14

1) Moafinil (amine uptake inhibitor)
2) Bupropion (amine uptake inhibitor)
3) Varenicline (partial nicotinic receptor agonist)

Question 15

Drugs for marijuana, cocaine addiciton

Answer 15

None approved

Question 16

Drugs for opiate addiciton
1
2
3
4

Answer 16

1) Buprenorphine
2) Methadone
3) Heroin prescription
4) Naltrexone