NEU 365E - Unit 4 || All Solved.
What are examples of psychostimulants? correct answers cocaine and amphetamines
What are examples of opioids? correct answers heroin, morphine, codeine
What are the 3 receptors for opioids? correct answers mu, kappa, delta
What is addiction? correct answers A progressive behavioral syndrome characterized by
compulsive and impulsive (out-of-control) drug seeking and consumption
What is the difference between physiology and pathology of motivated behaviors? correct
answers Physiology studies the neural substrate of the motivation for drug taking and its
naturally intended function in healthy individual
Pathology studies the changes induced in this neural substrate by repeated exposure to addictive
drugs that cause the addicted brain to be engaged in compulsive drug taking
What is a reward? correct answers A stimulus that brain interprets as intrinsically positive, or as
something to be approached
Can be natural (biological: food, sex, etc.) or learned (pavlovian, cultural)
What is reinforcement? correct answers An increase in the probability of the occurrence of a
behavior that is paired with a certain stimulus (i.e., reinforcing stimulus).
Motivating force behind decision
,What is conditioned place preference? correct answers a rat will remain in the place where they
were given the drug
How is drug reward and drug reinforcement related? correct answers Drug reward and the drug
reinforcement generally correlate well (especially in animals), suggesting a common neural
substrate
What is a motivator (reinforcing drive) for initial drug use? correct answers a drug-induced
pleasurable state
What are the 3 dopaminergic pathways? correct answers nigrostriatal, mesolimbic, mesocortical
Which of the 3 dopaminergic pathways are involved with endogenous reward, perception of
reward, and positive reinforcement? correct answers mesolimbic and mesocortical pathways
What is the nigrostriatal pathway? correct answers substantia nigra to striatum
Involved in the initiation of voluntary movement
What is the mesolimbic pathway? correct answers ventral tegmental area (VTA) to nucleus
accumbens (NAc)
What is the mesocortical pathway? correct answers VTA to PFC
What is the role of dopamine in the brain reward circuit? correct answers dopamine activates
postsynaptic D2 receptors which inhibits the GABAergic projection neuron, leading to
reinforcement
, What was the result of intracranial self-stimulation? correct answers When the medial forebrain
bundle (includes mesocorticolimbic dopaminergic fibers) was stimulated, the strongest
reinforcement of self-stimulation
behavior resulted
What evidence is there to suggest that addictive drugs facilitate the
reinforcing effects of natural reinforcers? correct answers all addictive drugs lower the threshold
for brain self-stimulation; in the presence of drugs,
weaker stimulation can promote self-stimulation behavior.
AKA: when on drugs, you don't need as much stimulation to feel a euphoric high
What brain mechanism do addictive drugs tap into? correct answers Addictive drugs tapped into
the brain mechanism that evolved to reinforce behaviors necessary for survival and reproduction.
What are the 2 mechanisms that activate the reward circuit? Can the brain differentiate them?
correct answers 1. Sensory cues from perception of natural reward
2. Direct chemical activation from the addictive drug itself
Brain cannot differentiate the two mechanisms.
Brain is more strongly and reliably activated by the chemical mechanism.
What are the 2 mechanisms that opiates activate the reward circuit? correct answers 1.
disinhibition of the VTA dopamine neurons -> dopamine release in the NAc
2. inhibition of the NAc via direct dopamine-independent actions on the mu and delta opiate
receptor expressed in NAc neurons
What receptors mediate the reinforcing effects of opiate drugs? correct answers mu and delta on
Gi proteins in the VTA and NAc
What are examples of psychostimulants? correct answers cocaine and amphetamines
What are examples of opioids? correct answers heroin, morphine, codeine
What are the 3 receptors for opioids? correct answers mu, kappa, delta
What is addiction? correct answers A progressive behavioral syndrome characterized by
compulsive and impulsive (out-of-control) drug seeking and consumption
What is the difference between physiology and pathology of motivated behaviors? correct
answers Physiology studies the neural substrate of the motivation for drug taking and its
naturally intended function in healthy individual
Pathology studies the changes induced in this neural substrate by repeated exposure to addictive
drugs that cause the addicted brain to be engaged in compulsive drug taking
What is a reward? correct answers A stimulus that brain interprets as intrinsically positive, or as
something to be approached
Can be natural (biological: food, sex, etc.) or learned (pavlovian, cultural)
What is reinforcement? correct answers An increase in the probability of the occurrence of a
behavior that is paired with a certain stimulus (i.e., reinforcing stimulus).
Motivating force behind decision
,What is conditioned place preference? correct answers a rat will remain in the place where they
were given the drug
How is drug reward and drug reinforcement related? correct answers Drug reward and the drug
reinforcement generally correlate well (especially in animals), suggesting a common neural
substrate
What is a motivator (reinforcing drive) for initial drug use? correct answers a drug-induced
pleasurable state
What are the 3 dopaminergic pathways? correct answers nigrostriatal, mesolimbic, mesocortical
Which of the 3 dopaminergic pathways are involved with endogenous reward, perception of
reward, and positive reinforcement? correct answers mesolimbic and mesocortical pathways
What is the nigrostriatal pathway? correct answers substantia nigra to striatum
Involved in the initiation of voluntary movement
What is the mesolimbic pathway? correct answers ventral tegmental area (VTA) to nucleus
accumbens (NAc)
What is the mesocortical pathway? correct answers VTA to PFC
What is the role of dopamine in the brain reward circuit? correct answers dopamine activates
postsynaptic D2 receptors which inhibits the GABAergic projection neuron, leading to
reinforcement
, What was the result of intracranial self-stimulation? correct answers When the medial forebrain
bundle (includes mesocorticolimbic dopaminergic fibers) was stimulated, the strongest
reinforcement of self-stimulation
behavior resulted
What evidence is there to suggest that addictive drugs facilitate the
reinforcing effects of natural reinforcers? correct answers all addictive drugs lower the threshold
for brain self-stimulation; in the presence of drugs,
weaker stimulation can promote self-stimulation behavior.
AKA: when on drugs, you don't need as much stimulation to feel a euphoric high
What brain mechanism do addictive drugs tap into? correct answers Addictive drugs tapped into
the brain mechanism that evolved to reinforce behaviors necessary for survival and reproduction.
What are the 2 mechanisms that activate the reward circuit? Can the brain differentiate them?
correct answers 1. Sensory cues from perception of natural reward
2. Direct chemical activation from the addictive drug itself
Brain cannot differentiate the two mechanisms.
Brain is more strongly and reliably activated by the chemical mechanism.
What are the 2 mechanisms that opiates activate the reward circuit? correct answers 1.
disinhibition of the VTA dopamine neurons -> dopamine release in the NAc
2. inhibition of the NAc via direct dopamine-independent actions on the mu and delta opiate
receptor expressed in NAc neurons
What receptors mediate the reinforcing effects of opiate drugs? correct answers mu and delta on
Gi proteins in the VTA and NAc
