Neurology 342 Drugs and Behavior - Ch 7: Reward and Reinforcement

dopamine

What is the main neurotransmitter involved in the addiction?

chronic relapsing disorder

What is addiction?

- cravings to use drugs

- can't control limiting intake

- physical dependence

How is addiction characterized as?

occur from abstinence of drug

How do withdrawal symptoms begin in physical dependence?

remission state

Drug free periods are known as what?

- substantia nigra

- ventral tegmental area(VTA)

Dopamine cell bodies are located where in the brain?

- nigrostriatal pathway

- mesolimbic pathway

- mesocortical pathway

What are the different dopamine pathways?

nigrostriatal pathway

Which dopamine pathway is involved in habit formation and compulsive behavior?

mesolimbic pathway

Which dopamine pathway is involved in motivation and pleasure(cravings)?

mesocortical pathway

Which dopamine pathway is involved in self control and stress?

VTA --> nucleus accumbens

What is the dopamine pathway in the mesolimbic pathway?

Natural rewards

- primary reinforcers

Food, water, sex, sleeping when tired are called what and what type of reinforcers?

pleasurable

basic instincts for survival are _____?

mesolimbic

Abusive drugs copy effects of natural rewards and use the ________ pathway?

increases chances of behavior being repeated

What is the result of stimulating the mesolimbic DA pathway?

inability to control goal-directed behavior

- brain doesn't realize consequences of actions

What is impulsivity?

reduced activity in the prefrontal cortex

- increased activity in mesolimbic DA pathway

What path of the brain is associated with impulsivity?

VTA ==> cerebral cortex

What areas in the brain are involved with the mesocortical DA pathway?

executive control

- reasoning

- impulse control

- working memory

What is the mesocortical DA pathway associated with?

- problems w/ self control

- motivation to seek drugs

What happens with the mesocortical pathway is disrupted?

cortico-striatal-thalamic cortical loop(CSTC)

what neural circuit is thought to underline compulsive behaviors and addiction?

integrates sensory info for decision making and anticipating outcomes

what role does the orbitofrontal cortex(OFC) play in decision making?

leads to faulty judgements and hyperfocus on threats

- leads to obsession

How does dysfunction of the OFC lead to compulsive behaviors?

adds emotion like disgust, guilt, and shame

What function does the anterior cingulate cortex(ACC) carry out in relation to emotion?

Striatum(basal ganglia)

Which brain structure in the CSTC loop is involved in movement and automation of motor sequences?

forms repetitive behaviors

How does the striatum contribute to compulsive behavior?

relay station for sensory and motor signals

What is the primary function of the thalamus in the CSTC loop?

nigrostriatal pathway

Which dopamine pathway is involved in the automation of repetitive behaviors?

habit is a repeated behavior that does not negatively impact life

What's the difference between a habit and an addiction?

habit occurs by compulsion, negative experience if habit is not done

When is a habit considered an addiction?

- biological basis

- unique signs/symptoms

- predictable course and outcomes

- inability to control cause of the disease

What are the 4 things that characterize a disease?

international classification of diseases(contains all diseases)

- developed by WHO

What does ICD stand for and who developed it?

diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders

- only has psychological conditions

What does DSM-5 stand for?

Mild substance use disorder(SUD): 2/3 symptoms

moderate SUD: 4/5 symptoms

severs SUD: more than 6

Explain the different severity compound to the diagnosis that DSM-5 adds?

behavior is a response to environment

Explain what the term behaviorism means?

neutral stimulus becomes associated with unconditioned stimulus to produce a conditioned response

What is classical conditioning?

- US: unconditioned stimulus

- UR: unconditioned response

- CS: conditioned stimulus

- CR: conditioned response

Write the what each of these terms stand for? (US), (UR), (CS), (CR)

when specific consequences are associated with a voluntary behavior

What is operant conditioning?

strengthens behavior

In operant conditioning what does reinforcements do?

learned behaviors due to the value a thing signals

Secondary reinforces are associated with what?

reduce/weakens behavior

What does a punishment do in operant conditioning?

body has urges/drives that increase and intensify until they are met

What is the drive theory?

repeated drug use creates a drive to seek the effects of drugs

What is an example of the drive theory?

explains how the body responds to drugs and how drug addiction may develop. The theory suggests that drugs activate two opposing processes: a primary process that causes pleasure, and a secondary process that causes an unpleasant reaction.

Explain the opponent process theory?

fatigue and cloudy brain fog

What are some examples of withdrawal symptoms?

drugs or drug cues gets user's attention

- cravings

What is the incentive salience model?

physiologically change in the body due to the body adapting to the drug

What is drug dependence?

tolerance

- drug effect lowers w/ same drug dose over time

What is the term for when the body adapts to a drug and the effect of the drug is not as strong?

constant use of drug even after harmful effects

What is the neurobiology of addiction?

1) Intoxication

2) Withdrawal

3) preoccupation and anticipation

What is the three stage cycle of addiction?

drug creates impaired state

What is the intoxication stage in the addiction cycle?

instead of taking drug for positive effects its used to avoid unpleasant effects of withdrawal symptoms

What is the withdrawal stage in the addiction cycle?

- detoxification

- therapy

- pharmaceuticals

How can you treat SUDs?