BIOPSYCH 03/06

Key Terms Related to Drugs and Abuse

• Addiction: A complex condition, a brain disorder that is manifested by compulsive substance use despite harmful consequences.

• Dependence: A condition where the body becomes accustomed to a drug, leading to withdrawal symptoms when stopped.

• Tolerance: A state where the body becomes less responsive to a drug, requiring more to achieve the same effects.

• Withdrawal: A set of symptoms that occur after stopping or reducing intake of a substance that one has become dependent on.

Neurotransmitters Involved in Addiction

Dopamine

• Key Functions: Movement, pleasure, thinking.

• Associations: Highly implicated in addiction and certain disorders like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

• Important Note: Any drug affecting dopamine tends to have implications on pleasure and addiction, thus linked to conditions affecting memory and learning.

Catecholamine Family

• Members: Dopamine, Norepinephrine, Epinephrine.

• Concept: All members are derived from a common precursor and thus can affect one another when influenced by drugs.

  • Norepinephrine: Associated with focus and confidence; generally more impactful on mental states than physical.

  • Epinephrine: Primarily impacts physical responses, elevating heart rate and energy levels.

Indolamine Family

Serotonin

• Main Disorder: