PSYC 450 Final Exam with correct answers
Why is addiction considered a chronic disorder?
Addiction is characterized by recurring cycles of drug-
taking and abstinence, making it difficult to achieve long-
term recovery. One of the primary challenges in
treatment is the high rate of relapse.
What is the primary challenge in treating substance use
disorder (SUD)?
The primary challenge is relapse. While it is possible to
help individuals achieve initial abstinence, maintaining
long-term abstinence is difficult, with most individuals
relapsing.
What do the 1971 and 2011 studies indicate about
relapse rates?
Both studies show that while many people achieve
abstinence initially after treatment, the proportion of
individuals remaining abstinent drops dramatically over
time, with only 25% staying abstinent after a year.
What are the typical short-term and long-term outcomes
of rehabilitation clinics?
Short-term: High rates of initial abstinence upon
completing the program.Long-term: Dramatic decline in
abstinence rates over a year, with most individuals
relapsing.
,What are the common treatments for SUD, and how
successful are they?
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), Alcoholics
Anonymous (AA), replacement therapies, and
pharmacological interventions (e.g., methadone).
However, success rates are generally low due to high
relapse rates.
Why is understanding brain mechanisms important in
addressing relapse?
Relapse is influenced by underlying brain mechanisms,
including reward pathways and neural responses to
triggers. Understanding these mechanisms is essential for
developing more effective treatments.
What are the main factors that can trigger a relapse?
Re-exposure to the drug or other drugs: Even a brief
re-exposure can prime relapse.
Cues associated with drug use: Includes objects (e.g.,
syringes), places, smells, or people linked to drug use.
Stress: A commonly cited reason for relapse, as stress
increases cravings.
Withdrawal symptoms: Conditioned withdrawal can
trigger cravings even after the acute withdrawal phase.
What is the "priming effect" in the context of relapse?
The priming effect occurs when a brief re-exposure to a
drug (or a similar substance) reactivates cravings,
potentially leading to relapse. For example, medical
,exposure to opiates in someone with a history of opioid
use disorder.
How do cues associated with drug use contribute to
relapse?
Cues (e.g., drug paraphernalia, specific places, or people)
become highly salient and can induce strong cravings,
guiding behavior toward relapse.
How does stress contribute to relapse?
Stressful situations are commonly reported as a trigger
for relapse. Studies show that stress increases cravings
and relapse rates, even in individuals abstinent for years.
Is withdrawal a major trigger for relapse?
Withdrawal, particularly conditioned withdrawal, can
trigger cravings and relapse. However, this does not refer
to extreme acute withdrawal symptoms but rather the
long-term conditioned responses to abstinence.
What is conditioned withdrawal, and how does it relate to
relapse after long-term abstinence?
Withdrawal symptoms triggered by cues associated with
drug use, potentially leading to relapse even months or
years after abstinence.
Why is studying relapse in humans ethically challenging?
It requires individuals to relapse, which conflicts with
ethical principles of promoting health and abstinence in
recovered users.
, How are smartphones used to study relapse, and what
are the challenges of this method?
Users log emotions and cravings several times daily, but
priming individuals to report drug-related feelings can
itself trigger cravings. Analyzing large, variable datasets
is also difficult.
What methods are used to study the brain mechanisms of
relapse in humans, and what are their limitations?
Post-mortem studies, imaging (PET, fMRI), and magnetic
stimulation. These approaches have limited resolution
and manipulation capabilities.
Why is craving often used as a proxy for relapse in
studies, and what is the limitation of this approach?
Craving is measurable and often precedes relapse, but it
does not always result in relapse, as individuals can resist
cravings.
Describe the participants and procedure in the 2008
crack cocaine study.
The study involved non-abstinent crack cocaine users
who temporarily stopped using for the study. The
procedure included:
Exposure to drug-associated cues: Participants
handled drug paraphernalia (e.g., lighters, glass pipes,
crack bags) and watched videos of crack cocaine use.
Self-reported scaling: After exposure to the cues and
at various stages (before and after drug use), participants
rated their levels
Why is addiction considered a chronic disorder?
Addiction is characterized by recurring cycles of drug-
taking and abstinence, making it difficult to achieve long-
term recovery. One of the primary challenges in
treatment is the high rate of relapse.
What is the primary challenge in treating substance use
disorder (SUD)?
The primary challenge is relapse. While it is possible to
help individuals achieve initial abstinence, maintaining
long-term abstinence is difficult, with most individuals
relapsing.
What do the 1971 and 2011 studies indicate about
relapse rates?
Both studies show that while many people achieve
abstinence initially after treatment, the proportion of
individuals remaining abstinent drops dramatically over
time, with only 25% staying abstinent after a year.
What are the typical short-term and long-term outcomes
of rehabilitation clinics?
Short-term: High rates of initial abstinence upon
completing the program.Long-term: Dramatic decline in
abstinence rates over a year, with most individuals
relapsing.
,What are the common treatments for SUD, and how
successful are they?
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), Alcoholics
Anonymous (AA), replacement therapies, and
pharmacological interventions (e.g., methadone).
However, success rates are generally low due to high
relapse rates.
Why is understanding brain mechanisms important in
addressing relapse?
Relapse is influenced by underlying brain mechanisms,
including reward pathways and neural responses to
triggers. Understanding these mechanisms is essential for
developing more effective treatments.
What are the main factors that can trigger a relapse?
Re-exposure to the drug or other drugs: Even a brief
re-exposure can prime relapse.
Cues associated with drug use: Includes objects (e.g.,
syringes), places, smells, or people linked to drug use.
Stress: A commonly cited reason for relapse, as stress
increases cravings.
Withdrawal symptoms: Conditioned withdrawal can
trigger cravings even after the acute withdrawal phase.
What is the "priming effect" in the context of relapse?
The priming effect occurs when a brief re-exposure to a
drug (or a similar substance) reactivates cravings,
potentially leading to relapse. For example, medical
,exposure to opiates in someone with a history of opioid
use disorder.
How do cues associated with drug use contribute to
relapse?
Cues (e.g., drug paraphernalia, specific places, or people)
become highly salient and can induce strong cravings,
guiding behavior toward relapse.
How does stress contribute to relapse?
Stressful situations are commonly reported as a trigger
for relapse. Studies show that stress increases cravings
and relapse rates, even in individuals abstinent for years.
Is withdrawal a major trigger for relapse?
Withdrawal, particularly conditioned withdrawal, can
trigger cravings and relapse. However, this does not refer
to extreme acute withdrawal symptoms but rather the
long-term conditioned responses to abstinence.
What is conditioned withdrawal, and how does it relate to
relapse after long-term abstinence?
Withdrawal symptoms triggered by cues associated with
drug use, potentially leading to relapse even months or
years after abstinence.
Why is studying relapse in humans ethically challenging?
It requires individuals to relapse, which conflicts with
ethical principles of promoting health and abstinence in
recovered users.
, How are smartphones used to study relapse, and what
are the challenges of this method?
Users log emotions and cravings several times daily, but
priming individuals to report drug-related feelings can
itself trigger cravings. Analyzing large, variable datasets
is also difficult.
What methods are used to study the brain mechanisms of
relapse in humans, and what are their limitations?
Post-mortem studies, imaging (PET, fMRI), and magnetic
stimulation. These approaches have limited resolution
and manipulation capabilities.
Why is craving often used as a proxy for relapse in
studies, and what is the limitation of this approach?
Craving is measurable and often precedes relapse, but it
does not always result in relapse, as individuals can resist
cravings.
Describe the participants and procedure in the 2008
crack cocaine study.
The study involved non-abstinent crack cocaine users
who temporarily stopped using for the study. The
procedure included:
Exposure to drug-associated cues: Participants
handled drug paraphernalia (e.g., lighters, glass pipes,
crack bags) and watched videos of crack cocaine use.
Self-reported scaling: After exposure to the cues and
at various stages (before and after drug use), participants
rated their levels
