Psych 315A Lecture 8

Front 1

What is tolerance?

Back 1

A decline in response to a drug after repeated exposure

** More of a drug is required to achieve the same level of intoxication

Front 2

What is metabolic tolerance?

Back 2

Metabolic: Results from an increase in the enzymes that break-down (metabolize) a drug, in the liver, blood and brain

Front 3

What is Cellular Tolerance?

Back 3

Cellular: Results from an adjustment in the activities of the neurons/cells to minimize the effects of a drug

Front 4

What is Learned Tolerance?

Back 4

Learned: Results from learning to cope with daily demands under the influence.

Front 5

What is Sensitization?

Back 5

Increased response to the effects of a drug (e.g., amphetamine) which occurs with occasional use.

It produces structural changes in the brain (e.g., increased dendritic growth in nucleus accumbens)

Long-lasting

Front 6

What was the Robinson and Becker study?

Conclusion?

Back 6

Animals were given periodic injections of the same dose of amphetamine. Then the researchers measured the number of time each rat reared in its cage.

Conclusion: Sensitization, increased rearing, develops with periodic and repeated injections

Front 7

What was the Whishaw study?

Conclusion?

Back 7

Animals were given different numbers of swims after being injected with Flupentixol. They measured their speed to escape the pool onto a platform.

Conclusion: Sensitization depends on the occurrence of the behaviour/number of trials. The number of swims, not the spacing of the swims or the treatment, causes and increase in the time taken for a rat to reach the platform.

Front 8

All drugs of abuse act on what neurotransmitter system?

What is the evidence for this?

Back 8

Dopamine System!

1) Animals are easily trained to press a level for dopamine stimulation

2) Abused drugs release dopamine or prolong its availability

3) Drugs that are Dopamine antagonists are NOT abused

Front 9

According to Incentive Sensitization Theory, addiction is acquired __________ and is largely the result of what?

Back 9

Addiction is acquired unconsciously and is the result of conditioned learning.

Front 10

According to Incentive Sensitization Theory, what are the 3 steps to addiction?

Back 10

1) Activation of pleasure causes a user to like the experience

2) Classical conditioning produces a pleasurable reaction to objects, actions, places or events associated with taking the drug

3) Attribution of incentive salience to the cues makes the, desired and sought-after.

Front 11

How are wanting and liking effected different in addiction?

Back 11

Wanting increases with addiction and liking/the pleasure produced by the drug decreases in addiction.

Front 12

What pathway is Wanting associated with? What effects are Wanting most associated with?

Back 12

The dopamine/mesolimbic pathway

Effects: Wanting Cravings, Psychological addiction through reinforcement and association of cues

Front 13

What pathways is Liking?

Back 13

Opioid System

Effects: Liking Cravings; involves Euphoria, Analgesia & Sedation, Physical Addiction, Dependence and Withdrawal,

Front 14

Is it difficult to determine if a recreation drug is harmful?

Back 14

Yes!

1) Is it the drug itself or other factors associated with drug use?

2) Do drugs initiate problems or aggravate pre-existing conditions?

3) It's hard to isolate drugs to determine which ingredients are harmful

Front 15

What are Endocrine Glands?

Back 15

Endocrine: Cells that secrete hormones into the bloodstream. The pituitary gland stimulates endocrine glands after receiving neurohormonal messages from the hypothalamus.

Front 16

What are Steroid Hormones?

Back 16

Steroid: Synthesized from cholesterol and are lipid soluble. They act on a cell's DNA to increase to decrease protein production.

Front 17

What are Peptide Hormones?

Back 17

Peptide: Synthesized "de novo" (codified from DNA) and bind to metabotropic receptors in end organs.

Front 18

Describe the 3 steps to Hierarchical Control of Hormones

Back 18

1) In response to sensory stimuli and cognitive activity, the hypothalamus produces neurohormones that enter the pituitary.

2) On instructions from these releasing hormones, the pituitary sends hormones into the bloodstream to target endrocrine glands

3) Endocrine glands, then, release their own hormones that stimulate target organs, including the brain.

Front 19

What are the functions of Hormones?

Back 19

Homeostasis: Maintains internal balance & cell homeostatsis (e.g., insulin)

Gonadal Hormones: Reproductive functions (e.g., testosterone & estrogen) & Alters tissue differentiation during development (i.e., Organizational Hypothesis)

Stress Hormones: Glucocorticoids (made from cholesterol) (e.g., cortisol) which are active during physically/psychologically challenging events in order to prepare the body (i.e., fight or flight). They also control protein & carbohydrate metabolism and sugar levels.