Ch19- Module 2 & 3

Genetic Factors & Brain Mechanisms

Genetic susceptibility to alcohol abuse can be caused by ------------

1. differences in ability to digest or metabolize alcohol
2. differences in the structure or biochemistry of the brain
3. differences in brain changes that control sensitivity to reinforcing drug effects or environmental stressors

Genetic susceptibility to nicotine canuse is caused by ________

1. An allele resposible for the production of nicotinic ACh receptors

Genetic susceptibility to stimulants is caused by -------

1. The genes that produce sirtuins

What are the effects of opiate administration?

1. Analgesia
2. Hypothermia
3. Sedation
4. Reinforcement

Opiate receptors in the -------- are primarily responsible for the analgesia

periaqueductal gray matter

Opiate receptors in in the _______ are responsible for the hypothermia

preoptic area

Opiate receptors in the _______ are responsible for the sedation

mesencephalic reticular formation

Opiate receptors in the ------- and ------- play a role in the reinforcing effects of opiates

VTA & NAC

The three major types of opiate receptors

μ (mu), 𝛿 (delta), Κ (kappa)

A target mutation of the ----- receptor makes one insensitive to the reinforcing or angalesic effects of morphine and shows no signs of withdrawal

μ (mu)

Administration of -------- reduces the reinforcing effects of alcohol

naloxone

The technique of administering a drug of abuse for a prolonged interval and then blocking the effects with an anatgonist is called ____________

antagonist-precipitated withdrawal

The most sensitive sites to opiates are -------- and ------

the locus coeruleus & the periaqueductal gray matter

\------- & ------- block the reuptake of dopamine

cocaine & amphetamine

the most important effect of amphetamines is _________

the direct stimulation of dopamine release from terminal buttons

Antagonist-precipitated withdrawal caused an increase in the level of -------- in the ---------

glutamate; locus coeruleus

Cocaine & Amphetamine mimic the psychotic behaviour of -------

schizophrenia

What causes schizophrenic symptoms in cocaine & amphetamine users?

increased dopamine and overactivity of dopaminergic synapses

Why do cocaine & amphetamine users have an increased risk of developing Parkinson’s disease?

diminished number of dopaminergic terminals

the ----------- plays an essential role in all forms of reinforcement except for the reinforcement that is mediated by direct stimulation of opiate receptors

mesikimbic dopamine system

nicotinic receptors are found in the -------- and --------; but a special type of nicotinic receptor is found in the ------------

VTA & NAC; medial habenula (midbrain)

the --------- plays a role in nicotine inhibition by protecting animals from intaking large nicotine quantities

medial habenula pathway

\-------------- is a drug that blocks cannabinoid CB1 receptors, reduces nicotine self-administration and nicotine-seeking behaviours

Rimonabant

nicotine has a dual effect on nicotinic receptors: ------- & ----------

activation & desensitization (the first dose activates, the followinf desensitizes)

nicotine withdrawal symptoms

1. anxiety
2. restlessness
3. insomnia
4. inability to concentrate

smokers tend to siffer from damage to the ------- of the brain

insula

smokers have decreased gray matter in their -------

frontal cortex

detterants to the cessation of smoking are --------

overeating & weight gain

the two major sites of action for alcohol are ----- & -----

NMDA & GABA

_______ receptors play a role in loner-term potentiation, which plays a role in learning

NMDA

alcohol antagonizes the action of glutamate at ------- receptors which disrupts long-potentiation and interfere with the spatial receptive fields of place cells in the ----

NMDA receptors; hippocampus

the anxiolytic and seddative effects of alcohol are exerted at the ------- receptors

GABA

________ consumption triggers apoptosis

alcohol

alcohol produces both -------- and ------- reinforcement

positive & negative

alcohol increases the activity of _______ neurons in the mesolimbic system and the NAC

dopamine

the reinforcing effect of alcohol are caused by ------- and -------

dopamine and endogenous opiods

withdrawal from long-term alcohol intake decreases the activity of the -------

mesolimbic neurons and their release of dopamine in the NAC

the sequence of events of physical alcohol dependence

1. acute effects are caused of a single dose are caused by the antagonistic effect of the drug on the NMDA receptor
2. long-term NMDA supression causes upregulation
3. VTA neurons and NAC dopamine release are inhibited

THC has an effect on ______ neurons

dopaminergic

for cannabinoid receptors, THC is a partial -------- while CBD is an -----------

agonist; antagonist

treatments for opiate abuse

1. methadone maintenance
2. buprenorphine (can be used in office-based treatment)
3. Kratom

treatment for stimulant abuse

immunotherapy (vaccines)

treatments for nictotine abuse

1. chewing gum
2. transdermal patches
3. maintenance therapy + counselling

treatments for alochol abuse

1. opiate agonists (naltrexone) - reduces the reinforcing value
2. acamprosate - and NDMA receptor agonists that treats withdrawal seizures
3. disulfiram (antabuse) - causes illness

treatments for substance abuse (generally)

1. deep brain stimulation (DBS)
2. transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)