Substance Abuse and Addiction

Question 1

Anti-anxiety drugs

Answer 1

Alcohol, Barbituates and Benzodiazepines. Impact GABA receptors. Changes how much Cl in system (too much = lethal). Alcohol works on just one receptor but if taken with Barbituates or Benzo = deadly because works on both receptors

Question 2

Engelmann et al

Answer 2

Smoking cues (compared to neutral) = fMRI = increased activation of anterior cingulate, medial PFC, insula and dorsal striatum

Question 3

Nestor et al

Answer 3

Go/no-go task = areas which limit impulsive behaviours less active in smokers = e.g. ACC

Question 4

Claus et al

Answer 4

Balloon Analogue Risk Task = incentive reward and executive control networks = aim to suppress urge to gain more money at risk of exploding balloon

Question 5

Shultz et al

Answer 5

Dopamine = pleasure chemical? Also role in error-detection/learning. NAcc = role in consolidating drug wanting, seeking and taking

Question 6

Fibiger

Answer 6

Mesolimbic dopamine pathway = action of dopamine on NAcc = critical role in addiction. Feedback signal for predicting rewards

Question 7

Carhart-Harris et al

Answer 7

fMRI (patients and healthy) 1/2 MDMA and 1/2 placebo. Recall favourite and worst autobiographical memories. Favourite more +ve and vivid after MDMA (worst less -ve). MDMA attenuated responses to worst memories in L anterior temporal cortex.

Question 8

Pfefferbaum et al

Answer 8

Longitudinal. Alcohol dependence associated with progressive tissue shrinkage across multiple brain regions mainly on frontal and cerebellar networks

Question 9

Nakoma et al

Answer 9

Postmortem study. Meth use associated with shrinkage of orbitofrontal and PFC