This document contains all the colleges for the mid-term exam of the course Drugs and Addiction. Extra notes are added and at the end is a summary made by the Proffessor of the course.
Drugs and Addiction 2021
HC1: Course introduction
Basic questions:
How many Europeans have ever used illicit drugs? 25%
Dependence to which drug can NOT be treated by pharmacotherapy?
- Alcohol?
- Cocaïne? → yes.
- Heroin?
- Nicotine?
What is mephedrone? Synthetic stimulant drug (NPS).
What is the street price of 1 gram heroin? Heroin is not so popular as a drug. €50
How many XTC pills are you allowed to possess in NL? 1
Which drug do you consider most dangerous? Crystal meth, heroin, alcohol.
Defining characteristics of drug addiction:
- Tolerance = neuroadaptations induced by repeated drug use, resulting in a decrease
in the reinforcing properties of the drug.
- Craving = intense urge to consume drugs.
- Euphoria = pleasurable sensations induced by drug use.
- Problems with law enforcement
- Loss of control
- Desire to quit
- Withdrawal (symptoms) = intense and unpleasant symptoms occurring when drug
use is discontinued.
- Relapse = reinstatement of drug use after a period of abstinence.
Brief definition:
A substance-related psychiatric disorder characterized by
● A persistent loss of control
● Obsessive craving
● Chronic relapse
NB: Tolerance and withdrawal can occur, but relapse is not necessarily associated with
these phenomena.
Negative reinforcement theory (anhedonia)
PRO
+ Drugs can be used to alleviate pain and symptoms of anxiety and depression.
, 2
+ Drug use abolishes the withdrawal symptoms, thereby maintaining drug-taking
behavior.
CON
- Feelings of anhedonia do not necessarily explain drug use.
- Drug use can be continued in the absence of withdrawal symptoms.
- Alleviating withdrawal signs by means of pharmacotherapy does not prevent relapse.
- Relapse can occur long after withdrawal signs have dissipated.
Positive reinforcement theory (euphoria)
PRO
+ Drug of abuse induce euphoria and are therefore addictive.
+ Because of these euphoria-inducing effects drug-taking behavior is maintained.
CON
- NO clear relationship between the euphoria-producing effects of drugs and their
abuse potential (cf. tobacco).
- The long-term negative consequences of drug use (e.g. on health and well-being)
definitely outweigh the short-lasting euphoria, yet drug use is not discontinued in
addicts.
Neuro-adaptation model
Definition:
● Structural and functional adaptations in the brain induced by repeated drug use
underlie addictive behavior.
● The brain’s reward system becomes sensitized to drugs and drug-associated stimuli.
These stimuli lead to intense feelings of drug craving.
In addition:
● Continued drug use impairs prefrontal cortical function.
● Drug use becomes compulsive and inflexible.
The downward spiral of drug addiction:
, 3
Summary:
Drug addiction:
● is a multifaceted disorder.
● is a process, rather than a state.
● is considered as a disorder of the brain.
Ecstasy use in England, interesting video clip:
https://video.vice.com/nl/video/the-truth-about-ecstasy-high-society/57e1350cb8298923b2c1
d145
HC2: Neurobiology of addiction
Learning goals:
1. Understand how and why the brain responds to addictive/abuse drugs.
2. Analyze the steps that lead to addiction.
- Know why so many people use drugs.
- How these drugs affect the brain functionality.
- What are their specific mechanisms of action?
- Which are the short and long-term effects.
The 5 pillars to understand the neurobiology of addiction
Pillar 1. Everything we like leaves its fingerprints in the brain.
a. The limbic systems is about emotions
, 4
b.
i. Important for:
1. Emotional control and emotional memories.
2. Reward and reward memories.
c. Limbic system activation = REWARD!
d. Example: What would you do when you are starving?
As all begins… Limbic systems and pals
● How does the limbic system regulate motivated behavior and reward?
Voordelen van het kopen van samenvattingen bij Stuvia op een rij:
Verzekerd van kwaliteit door reviews
Stuvia-klanten hebben meer dan 700.000 samenvattingen beoordeeld. Zo weet je zeker dat je de beste documenten koopt!
Snel en makkelijk kopen
Je betaalt supersnel en eenmalig met iDeal, creditcard of Stuvia-tegoed voor de samenvatting. Zonder lidmaatschap.
Focus op de essentie
Samenvattingen worden geschreven voor en door anderen. Daarom zijn de samenvattingen altijd betrouwbaar en actueel. Zo kom je snel tot de kern!
Veelgestelde vragen
Wat krijg ik als ik dit document koop?
Je krijgt een PDF, die direct beschikbaar is na je aankoop. Het gekochte document is altijd, overal en oneindig toegankelijk via je profiel.
Tevredenheidsgarantie: hoe werkt dat?
Onze tevredenheidsgarantie zorgt ervoor dat je altijd een studiedocument vindt dat goed bij je past. Je vult een formulier in en onze klantenservice regelt de rest.
Van wie koop ik deze samenvatting?
Stuvia is een marktplaats, je koop dit document dus niet van ons, maar van verkoper janinevdhoorn. Stuvia faciliteert de betaling aan de verkoper.
Zit ik meteen vast aan een abonnement?
Nee, je koopt alleen deze samenvatting voor €7,89. Je zit daarna nergens aan vast.
