Brain and Behavior TUFTS University - EXAM #4

Drug addiction yuhhhhh

What do you call molecules that affect brain function and alter cognition, perception, mood, and behavior?

Psychoactive drugs

Psychoactive drugs act on r_______ involved in n________

receptors, neurotransmission

More controlled psychoactive drugs include a__-________ or s_____s.

anti-psychotics, ssris

Antipsychotics involve ____ antagonists, to relieve p_____ symptoms

D2 antagonists, positive symptoms

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are a popular choice for treating _______?

depression, anxiety

Psychoactive drugs may be used recreationally. What is this called?

substance misuse

Positive reinforcement means if a behavior has a r_______ effect, then that behavior will likely become (more/less?) frequent

rewarding, more frequent

Alcohol, opioids, and psychostimulants tend to be associated with (postive/negative?) reinforcement and have a (pleasurable/discouraging) effect

positive, pleasurable

Misused drugs activate the m________ d______ pathway

mesolimbic dopamine

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter associated with r_____ and l_____

reward and learning

Dopamine release in the n______ a______ leads to feeling “good” or pleasurable

nucleus accumbens

Activation of the “dopamine pathway” within the nucleus accumbens helps you to r_____ s_______ experiences

remember salient experiences

Drug consumption (equals or does not equal) drug addiction

Does not (NO FUCKlNG SHlT SHERLOCK)

Most individuals begin drinking alcohol in ________ situations

Social

Drinking alcohol in social situations tends to happen more likely with people who are s______ s______ or r______ t______

sensation seeking, risk taking

Drinking to feel better is known is…

NEGATIVE reinforcement

Encouragement of a behavior by removing a negative feeling is called:

negative reinforcement

Self-medication and reducing anxiety or depressive symptoms are common motives that (influence/deinfluence) negative reinforcement of drinking

influence

True or false: Alcohol consumption is influenced either by positive reinforcement or negative reinforcement - not both at the same time

FALSE

Which of the following best describes negative reinforcement in the context of alcohol use?
a. Drinking alcohol to experience euphoria

b. Drinking alcohol to reduce anxiety or stress

c. Drinking alcohol due to peer pressure

d. Drinking alcohol to increase serotonin release

b. Drinking alcohol to reduce anxiety or stress

The motivation for alcohol/drug intake changes with r______ i_____

repeated intoxication

In the addiction cycle, what is the first step? C_____ b______ i______

Compulsive binge intoxication

In the addiction cycle, what is the second step? P_____ w_____ and N______ E_____

Pronounced withdrawal and negative effect

In the addiction cycle, what is the third step? P______ with S_____ or S____

Preoccupation with seeking or Searching

In the addiction cycle, what is the fourth step? I______ T_____

Increasing tolerance

Compulsive binge intoxication in alcoholism is drinking in a matter that is h________

hazardous

Binge drinking for women is considered ____ or more drinks within 2 hours

Four

Binge drinking for men is considered ____ or more drinks within 2 hours

Five

Binge drinking is drinking alcohol in a matter that produces blood alcohol concentration of ____% or ____ mg/dL

0.08%, 80

Compulsive binge intoxication is driven by the b_____ g___

basal ganglia

The V___ and N_____ A_____ become (more/less) sensitive to alcohol/drugs with chronic exposure

VTA, nucleus accumbens, less sensitive

The d____ s___ becomes (more/less) sensitive to alcohol/drugs following chronic exposure

dorsal striatum, more

Withdrawal occurs when alcohol is n____ l____ in the system

No longer

Alcohol withdrawal ranges from a_____ to p______ withdrawal

acute, protractive

Hangover, tremors, seizure, and Delirium Tremens are symptoms of ________ withdrawal

acute withdrawal

Negative affect/ negative emotional state is a symptom of _______ withdrawal

protracted withdrawal

Heightened anxiety, Irritability, Increased stress reactivity, Anhedonia/Depression, and Increased pain sensitivity are all symptoms of n____ a____, and can lead to n_____ reinforcement

negative affect, negative reinforcement

What drives withdrawal symptoms? O_______ P_______ T_______ (h____)

Opponent process theory, homeostasis

Opponent Process Theory states:
“What goes up _____ ______ d_____” and that there is always a B process to c____ the actions of an A process

Must come down, counter

Alcohol sedates the nervous system by p_____ G_____ transmission

potentiating GABA transmission

In response to alcohol sedating the nervous system, the body tunes up e_______ neurotransmission via g______ to c____ sedation

excitatory neurotransmission, glutamate, counter

The B Process potentiates over m______ e______ to the A Process, leading to an a_____ homeostatic state. This is called a_____

multiple exposures, altered, allostasis

Chronic heavy alcohol drinking diminishes the p_______ r______ effects of drinking alcohol

positive reinforcement

Chronic heavy alcohol drinking potentiates n____ a_____ during withdrawal

negative affect

Chronic heavy alcohol drinking may drive (more/less) drinking for relief - or negative reinforcement

more

In addition to chronic heavy drinking, e_______ factors and i______ b_______

factors may add to the allostatic load, driving (more/less?) drinking via negative reinforcement

environmental, inherent biological factors, MORE

Negative affect during withdrawal is driven by the e_______ a_______

extended amygdala

The extended amygdala includes the C____ A____ and b____ n____ of the stria terminalis

central amygdala, bed nucleus

The extended amygdala mediates s_____ response and chronic alcohol potentiates this activity

stress

According to opponent process theory, why does chronic heavy drinking increase negative affect during withdrawal over time?

a. The A-process weakens with repeated drug exposure

b. Dopamine receptors in the nucleus accumbens become hyper-sensitive

c. The prefrontal cortex overrides the extended amygdala

d. The B-process potentiates with repeated exposure, shifting the homeostatic set point

The B-process potentiates with repeated exposure, shifting the homeostatic set point

Preoccupation/anticipation of consumption of a substance is called a c_____

craving

Alcohol Use Disorder is a s_____, b____ and d_____ disorder that is treatable and preventable.

spectrum, brain, developmental

A person begins drinking alcohol socially to have a fun night out, but after years of heavy drinking, they drink to avoid feeling anxious and irritable. What change does this illustrate?

a. Tolerance replacing craving

b. Positive reinforcement shifting to negative reinforcement

c. Basal ganglia activity replacing prefrontal control

d. Acute withdrawal transitioning to protracted withdrawal

Positive reinforcement shifting to negative reinforcement

Which of the following best explains why someone with severe SUD experiences compulsive drug-seeking despite wanting to stop?

a. The prefrontal cortex becomes hyperactive and overrides reward circuits.

b. Dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens permanently increases

c. Chronic exposure shifts use from goal-directed to habitual behavior via the dorsal striatum

d. The extended amygdala suppresses withdrawal symptoms over time

Chronic exposure shifts use from goal-directed to habitual behavior via the dorsal striatum

Misused drugs are balanced by o_____ p____

opponent processing

Alc + misused drugs produce rewarding effects by stimulating N____ D____ release

NAc DA

Chronic intake produces o_____ p____ changes in the DA system

opponent process

There’s (FEWER/MORE) dopamine receptors in the nucleus accumbens in people who chronically misuse/take drugs

fewer

Chronic intake potentiates brain regions that signal n_____ a____ and drive c____

negative affect, craving

Drug misuse (such as with cocaine) activates the p_____ c____ and increases craving

prefrontal cortex

Chronic drug intake leads to which of the following changes in the dopamine system?

a. Increased dopamine receptor density in the nucleus accumbens

b. Decreased dopamine receptor density in the nucleus accumbens

c. Increased dopamine release from the ventral tegmental area

d. Decreased dopamine release from the ventral tegmental area

Decreased dopamine receptor density in the nucleus accumbens

Ethanol is like Nelly Furtado, and promiscuous as it acts on a v_____ of molecular targets

variety

True or false: Ethanol can be either excitatory OR inhibitory

True

Ethanol is a p____ allosteric modulator of G____ r____

positive, GABA A Receptors

Ethanol promotes ___ entry in the presence of Neurotransmitter GABA

Cl-

Chronic alcohol does WHAT to GABA A Receptors?

DESENSITIZES

Drinking ethanol increases d_____ n____ firing BUT also increases n______ i_____.

dopamine neuron, neuronal inhibition

The activity of VTA dopamine neurons are under constant i_____ control by G___ i_______

inhibitory, GABA Interneurons

Alcohol inhibits GABA Interneurons by _____ glutamate receptors, and by promoting e____ o____ release (endorphins) to inhibit GABA INs via m______ receptors

BLOCKING, endogenous opioid, mu-opioid

alcohol also directly stimulates DA neurons via ___ channels

K

Which best describes ethanol’s actions at the molecular level?

a. Ethanol is an agonist of dopamine receptors

b. It is a highly selective agonist for NMDA receptors

c. It acts on multiple receptor types, including GABA and glutamate receptors

d. It only inhibits excitatory neurotransmission

It acts on multiple receptor types, including GABA and glutamate receptors

Which features of neural circuits make them vulnerable to emotional dysregulation?

A______, C______ and C________

Activity, connections, communication

In vivo fiber photometry records activity from s______ c___ t____ during behavior.

specific cell types

Optogenetics allows researchers to test whether a____ or i_____ a specific cell type or circuit can causally c____ behavior.

activating, inhibiting, change

What is electrophysiology?

subspecialty of cardiology focused on the heart's electrical system

In-Vivo (natural) electrophysiology records electrical activity within a l_____ o_____, while Ex-Vivo (artificial) electrophysiology studies i_____ t_____ outside the body without environmental influences

living organism, isolated tissues

The VTA is very h___nous, containing a mix of d______, G____ and g______ neurons

heterogenous, dopaminergic, GABAergic, glutamatergic

Some VTA neurons are implicated in stress, aversion – and they are often p_____-s____

projection-specific

Chronic alcohol exposure during a______ results in activation of V____-C___ circuit during alcohol

withdrawal

adulthood, VTA-CeA

The C_____ receives input from V____

CeA, VTA

The VTA-CeA circuit is activated in a______ dependent rats during w_____

alcohol, withdrawal

The circuits that play a part in alcohol dependence are the M________ circuits

mesoamygdala

Cocaine activates the a____ in chronic users

amygdala