Substance-Related Disorders Flashcards
Define addiction
a condition that results when a person ingests a substance (e.g. alcohol, cocaine, nicotine) or engages in an activity (e.g., gambling, sex, shopping) that can be pleasurable but the continuation of which becomes compulsive and interferes with ordinary responsibilities and concerns, such as work, relationships, or health
What areas of the brain involved in the dopamine pathways involved with reward, pleasure, euphoria, motor function, and decision making?
- Prefrontal cortex
- Hippocampus
- Nucleus accumbens
- Ventral tegmental area***
- Raphe
What are the areas of the brain involved in the serotonin pathways involved with mood, memory, sleep, cognition?
- Prefrontal cortex
- Hippocampus
- Nucleus accumbens
- Ventral tegmental area***
- Raphe
What activities and substances may activate the reward pathways in the brain?
- food
- water
- sex
- activities (such as sky diving, roller coasters, etc.)
- exercise
What are the 4 neurotransmitters acting on the reward pathway
- dopamine
- serotonin
- cannabinoids
- opioid peptides (endorphins, enkephalins)
Dopamine
- receptors
- function
- receptors: D1, D2
- function: pleasure, euphoria, mood, motor function
Serotonin
- receptors
- function
- receptors: 5HT3
- function: mood, impulsivity, anxiety, sleep, cognition
Cannabinoids
- receptors
- function
- receptors: CB1, CB2
- function: pain, appetite, memory
Opioid peptides (endorphins, enkephalins)
- receptors
- function
- receptors: Kappa, Mu, Delta
- function: pain
Name the final chemical activator in the reward pathways.
Dopamine!
Neurotransmitter’s anatomical sites
-dopamine
- ventral tegmental area
- nucleus accumbens
Neurotransmitter’s anatomical sites
-opioid peptides
- nucleus accumbens
- amygdala
- ventral tegmental area
Neurotransmitter’s anatomical sites
-GABA
- amygdala
- bed nucleus of stria terminalis
Neurotransmitter’s anatomical sites
-glutamate
-nucleus accumbens
MOA of cocaine to facilitate dopamine activity in the CNS
- via reuptake inhibition of dopamine
- dopamine release is promoted via the protein responsible for the reuptake of dopamine (dopamine transporter; DAT)
*an example of direct drug action
Action of alcohol in reward pathway
inhibit GABAergic neurons that project to dopaminergic neurons in the VTA
Action of heroin in reward pathway
binds to opioid receptors that inhibit GABAergic neurons that project to dopaminergic neurons in the VTA