Smoking: Biological Approach Flashcards
How is dopamine affected?
Nicotine attaches to the dopamine receptors in the VTA which stimulates the release of dopamine in the NA, then releases it in the frontal cortex.
What is the role of initiation for Smoking in the Biological Approach?
Genetic influences take up 53% of the risk for taking up smoking.
Dopamine receptors in the VTA are also affected by nicotine which attaches.
What is the role of maintenance and relapse for Smoking in the Biological Approach?
Dopamine receptors are attached to by nicotine, making you desire more. “Schachter” 1977 found smoking is done to avoid withdrawal.
This soon increases their tolerance, so they’ll need to smoke more to get the buzz they used to.
What is the strength?
“Schachter” found that when given cigarettes with lower amounts of nicotine, heavy smokers smoked more than light smokers to make up for the deficit in nicotine.
What is the weakness?
“Shiffman” found that not all smokers regulate their nicotine levels, as he studied people who smoked regularly but never became dependent on nicotine.
Makes it a weakness as it found it didn’t like to biological reasons.
