Drug Addiction basic definitions

What is a drug?

Chemical mixture (other than those providing maintenance of normal health) that alters biological functioning

What are the 7 ways drugs can be classified?

By source, by action relative to prototype, major effect/therapeutic use, mechanism of action, chemical structure, and social status

Naturally occurring psychoactive agents

Cocaine from coca plant, ephedrine from ephedra plant

Semisynthetic psychoactive agents 

Heroin from morphine, LSD from grain ergot fungus

Synthetic psychoactive agents

Methadone (synthetic opioid), amphetamine (powerful stimulant)  

Schedule I of US legal classification system

Highest level, unsafe even under medical supervision, not used for medicinal purposes (heroin, LSD, MDMA)

Schedule II of US legal classification system

High, Abuse may lead to physical and/or psychological dependence, heavy restrictions on medical use (cocaine, PCP, meth, codeine)

Schedule III of US legal classification system

Medium, abuse may lead to moderate biological dependence and high psychological dependence, CAN be used for medical use (ketamine, acetomenphine, steroids) 

Schedule IV of US legal classification system

Low, less potential for abuse, if abused leads to limited psychological/physical dependence, CAN be used for medical use (xanax, rohypnol) 

Schedule V of US legal classification system

Lowest, less potential for abuse, if abused leads to limited psychological/physical dependence, CAN be used for medical use (cough syrup, lomotil)

What is potency?

the amount of drug needed to have a given effect

What is epidemiology?

The branch of medicine concerned with the incidence
and prevalence of diseases and other factors relating to health

What is affinity?

How easily a drug associates with a receptor

What is incidence?

A measure of how many new cases of a disease of symptom happened during a specific time period

What is prevalence?

The proportion of a population with a specific diagnosis in a specific time period (existing or new)

What is cocaine’s primary site of action?

The dopamine transporter. A protein on the presynaptic cleft that removes excess dopamine from synaptic cleft regulating brain signaling

An enzyme is an example of a ___ which is made from

Protein, DNA using RNA

What is genetic engineering?

Altering the DNA sequence of a host organism to achieve specific traits

What is the most commonly-used animal model of substance disorder and why?

Self administration because it measures the reinforcing properties of the drug

What is a drug addiction?

A pattern of drug use characterized by compulsive use of a drug with cravings, high tendency to relapse after quitting, and continued use despite negative consequence

Is addiction a family disorder?

Addiction runs in families but not always the cause. Genetics AND one’s environment can influence addiction

Is addiction biological?

Numerous studies have shown that there are genetic influences on drug use, effects, and dependence however the specific genes and biological mechanisms have not been determined

Is there an addictive personality?

Difficult to figure out if drugs changes someone’s personality but 2 personality traits frequently associated with risk for abuse is sensation-seeking and impulsivity

Arguments for addiction being a disease vs not

Impairs typical brain functioning, related to dysfunctions of biology, personality, social interactions

No tests available to reveal underlying cause, doesn’t have many characteristics of disease

Positron Emission Tomography uss ___ molecules to image organs 

Radioactive molecules like nutrients, receptor ligands, antibodies, et cetera. Absorbed into tissues with high metabolic activity, radioactive tracers emit positrons which when collided with electrons destroy each other and emit gamma rays, PET scanner detects rays and creates a 3d map of where tracers went off

In animals microdialysis can measure drug effects on ____ in the brain

Neurotransmitters. Probe inserted into tissue, salt solution pumped through probe, molecules diffuse across membrane, fluid is collected and analyzed to measure concentrations of substances 

Most potentially addictive drugs increase ____ neurotransmission

Dopamine. Occurs in brain’s reward circuit which enforces drug-taking behavior

What is physical dependence?

Occurrence of withdrawal syndrome. Body has adapted to presence of drug

What is tolderance?

Repeated exposure to the same dose of a drug results in a lesser
effect. Our body develops ways to compensate for the chemical imbalance caused by a drug

What is the general goal of the DSM-5

Provide a standardized common language for classifying and diagnosing mental disorders.

What changed from the DSM-5 to the DSM-5-TR and why?

Added gambling and tobacco use disorders, combined into single category: substance use disorders, craving definition added, abuse and dependence criteria combined,