addiction E
NI
BIOLOGICAL EXPLANATION
NICOTINE BINDS WITH NICOTINIC RECEPTORS, A TYPE OF
ACETYLCHOLINE RECEPTOR (NACHR) IN THE VENTRAL TEGMENTAL
AREA (VTA)
THIS TRIGGERS THE RELEASE OF DOPAMINE IN THE NUCLEUS
ACCUMBENS (NA), WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MOTOR FUNCTIONS, IN
THE MESOLIMBIC SYSTEM
THIS TRIGGERS THE RELEASE OF MORE DOAPMINE FROM THE NA INTO
THE FRONTAL CORTEX
AT THE SAME TIME, DOPANINE IS TRANSMITTED ALONG THE
MESOCORTICAL PATHWAY THROUGH THE AMYGDALA, RESPONSIBLE
FOR EMOTIONS, TO THE HIPPOCAMPUS, RESPONSIBLE FOR MEMORIES,
THEN TO THE FRONTAL CORTEX
ACTIVATION OF THE REWARD PATHWAY CREATES EELINGS OF
EUPHORIA AND REDUCED ANXIETY
ABSTINANCE (E.G. OVERNIGHT) LEADS TO INCREASED SENSITIVITY OF
NICOTINIC RECEPTOS AND WITHDRAWAL, CAUSING MOTIVATION TO
SMOKE
NICOTINE ACTIVATES NATURAL OPIOIDS IN THE BRAIN (ENDORPHINS),
CREATING FEELINGS OF PLEASURE
THE NEUROCHEMICAL EXPLANATION IS DETERMINISTIC AND DOES NOT
CONSIDER FACTORS SUCH AS PERSONALITY; A PERSON’S LOCUS OF
CONTROL CAN INFLUENCE HOW LIKELY THEY ARE TO BECOME
ADDICTED AS THEY FEEL A CERTAIN LEVEL OF SELF CONTROL AND
FREE WILL
NICOTINE REPLACEMENT THERAPY (NRT) IN THE FORM OF PATCHES
AND INHALERS HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED TO TREAT NICOTINE
ADDICTIONS IN RESPONSE TO THIS THEORY, BUT SUCH TREATMENTS
ARE ONLY AROUND 50% EFFECTIVE
THE BIOLOGICAL EXPLANATION OF NICOTINE ADDICTION IS
REDUCTIONIST BUT ALLOWS FOR A SINGLE CAUSE TO BE CLEARLY
IDENTIFIED AND TREATED
ANIMAL STUDIES ARE USED TO INVESTIGATE NICOTINE ADDICTION
NI
BIOLOGICAL EXPLANATION
NICOTINE BINDS WITH NICOTINIC RECEPTORS, A TYPE OF
ACETYLCHOLINE RECEPTOR (NACHR) IN THE VENTRAL TEGMENTAL
AREA (VTA)
THIS TRIGGERS THE RELEASE OF DOPAMINE IN THE NUCLEUS
ACCUMBENS (NA), WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MOTOR FUNCTIONS, IN
THE MESOLIMBIC SYSTEM
THIS TRIGGERS THE RELEASE OF MORE DOAPMINE FROM THE NA INTO
THE FRONTAL CORTEX
AT THE SAME TIME, DOPANINE IS TRANSMITTED ALONG THE
MESOCORTICAL PATHWAY THROUGH THE AMYGDALA, RESPONSIBLE
FOR EMOTIONS, TO THE HIPPOCAMPUS, RESPONSIBLE FOR MEMORIES,
THEN TO THE FRONTAL CORTEX
ACTIVATION OF THE REWARD PATHWAY CREATES EELINGS OF
EUPHORIA AND REDUCED ANXIETY
ABSTINANCE (E.G. OVERNIGHT) LEADS TO INCREASED SENSITIVITY OF
NICOTINIC RECEPTOS AND WITHDRAWAL, CAUSING MOTIVATION TO
SMOKE
NICOTINE ACTIVATES NATURAL OPIOIDS IN THE BRAIN (ENDORPHINS),
CREATING FEELINGS OF PLEASURE
THE NEUROCHEMICAL EXPLANATION IS DETERMINISTIC AND DOES NOT
CONSIDER FACTORS SUCH AS PERSONALITY; A PERSON’S LOCUS OF
CONTROL CAN INFLUENCE HOW LIKELY THEY ARE TO BECOME
ADDICTED AS THEY FEEL A CERTAIN LEVEL OF SELF CONTROL AND
FREE WILL
NICOTINE REPLACEMENT THERAPY (NRT) IN THE FORM OF PATCHES
AND INHALERS HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED TO TREAT NICOTINE
ADDICTIONS IN RESPONSE TO THIS THEORY, BUT SUCH TREATMENTS
ARE ONLY AROUND 50% EFFECTIVE
THE BIOLOGICAL EXPLANATION OF NICOTINE ADDICTION IS
REDUCTIONIST BUT ALLOWS FOR A SINGLE CAUSE TO BE CLEARLY
IDENTIFIED AND TREATED
ANIMAL STUDIES ARE USED TO INVESTIGATE NICOTINE ADDICTION
