BBH 451 Exam 2 Prep Questions and
Correct Answers
Addiction ✅a state in which someone is afflicted with obsessive thoughts about drug
used and overcome by compulsive urges to use a drug.
Dependence ✅a state in which someone's body has adapted to the presence of a drug
to the extent that when the drug is removed, their body is thrown into disequilibrium.
Physical dependence and addiction go together. T/F ✅false, often they do go together
but they don't have to.
Natural Rewards ✅things we find rewarding or experiences that are a part of life (sex,
food, water)
How or rather why does natural rewards work in our brains ✅Our brains are probably
designed to find them rewarding for good reason. Things like food and water are
necessary to survive. Sex is necessary for the propagation of our species. Thus, these
are all biologically important events. It makes sense that they make us feel good, since
we are much more likely to pursue something that makes us feel good
The reward system involves a collection of structures in the brain, but two of the major
components are ✅the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and the nucleus accumbens.
How does the brain reward circuitry work? ✅The VTA contains large numbers of
dopamine neurons, which extend to the VTA.
When someone uses an addictive drug, neurons in the VTA send dopamine to the
nucleus accumbens through the mesolimbic dopamine pathway, causing dopamine
levels in the nucleus accumbens to rise.
What is thought to be dopamine's response in pleasure/ addiction/ reward? ✅seems to
be strongly linked to experiencing the drug as rewarding and the development of
motivation to seek out the drug again in the future. So its important in reward.
Motivation, and addiction.
Researchers don't believe the dopamine signaling is responsible for creating the feeling
of pleasure we get from rewarding experiences
What are the two reasons why researchers believe that dopamine is not responsible for
creating the pleasure feeling we get from something rewarding? ✅events that are
disliked also have been linked to rising dopamine levels in the nucleus accumbens.
, Mesolimbic dopamine pathway is often activated before a drug is used, or upon
exposure to stimuli that someone has learned to associate with a pleasurable
experience.
Researchers have proposed other functions for dopamine that is released during
rewarding experiences. For example, ✅dopamine signaling may be involved with the
formation of strong memories that are linked to the rewarding event.
Explain increased Sensitivity of the Brain Reward Circuitry ✅Frequent exposure to an
addictive drug can a cause the brain's reward circuitry to become extremely sensitive to
stimuli associated with a drug.When exposed to these stimuli, the brain immediately
recognizes them and responds by initiating a motivated state to obtain the drug.
One factor that tends to increase exposure to an addictive drug is the development of
________________. ✅tolerance
Tolerance is ✅a decrease in responsiveness to a drug, such that an individual must
increase the dose of the drug they take if they wish to continue getting the response
they have become accustomed to.
Behavioral tolerance is ✅become used to the effects of the drug and so we can
tolerate them much more
The two types of biological tolerance is centered around the idea of
__________________________. Which is? ✅Homeostasis is the tendency of a
physiological system to move toward a state of equilibrium.
Pharmacokinetic tolerance is ✅changes in rates of enzyme metabolism.
These changes help the body to maintain homeostasis by ridding it of a foreign
substance, at the same time influencing the drug's pharmacokinetics in such a way that
it has less of an effect on the individual.
An example is the enzymes that metabolize alcohol, preventing alcohol for going into
your blood and then getting to your brain. So, one way the body tries to get rid of
alcohol to maintain homeostasis is by increasing the enzymes.
Pharmacodynamic tolerance is ✅changes in the way drugs interact with their
receptors.
Changes are typically undertaken in an attempt to regulate levels of neurotransmitter
activity and to maintain homeostasis.
Receptor up regulation and receptor down regulation
Correct Answers
Addiction ✅a state in which someone is afflicted with obsessive thoughts about drug
used and overcome by compulsive urges to use a drug.
Dependence ✅a state in which someone's body has adapted to the presence of a drug
to the extent that when the drug is removed, their body is thrown into disequilibrium.
Physical dependence and addiction go together. T/F ✅false, often they do go together
but they don't have to.
Natural Rewards ✅things we find rewarding or experiences that are a part of life (sex,
food, water)
How or rather why does natural rewards work in our brains ✅Our brains are probably
designed to find them rewarding for good reason. Things like food and water are
necessary to survive. Sex is necessary for the propagation of our species. Thus, these
are all biologically important events. It makes sense that they make us feel good, since
we are much more likely to pursue something that makes us feel good
The reward system involves a collection of structures in the brain, but two of the major
components are ✅the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and the nucleus accumbens.
How does the brain reward circuitry work? ✅The VTA contains large numbers of
dopamine neurons, which extend to the VTA.
When someone uses an addictive drug, neurons in the VTA send dopamine to the
nucleus accumbens through the mesolimbic dopamine pathway, causing dopamine
levels in the nucleus accumbens to rise.
What is thought to be dopamine's response in pleasure/ addiction/ reward? ✅seems to
be strongly linked to experiencing the drug as rewarding and the development of
motivation to seek out the drug again in the future. So its important in reward.
Motivation, and addiction.
Researchers don't believe the dopamine signaling is responsible for creating the feeling
of pleasure we get from rewarding experiences
What are the two reasons why researchers believe that dopamine is not responsible for
creating the pleasure feeling we get from something rewarding? ✅events that are
disliked also have been linked to rising dopamine levels in the nucleus accumbens.
, Mesolimbic dopamine pathway is often activated before a drug is used, or upon
exposure to stimuli that someone has learned to associate with a pleasurable
experience.
Researchers have proposed other functions for dopamine that is released during
rewarding experiences. For example, ✅dopamine signaling may be involved with the
formation of strong memories that are linked to the rewarding event.
Explain increased Sensitivity of the Brain Reward Circuitry ✅Frequent exposure to an
addictive drug can a cause the brain's reward circuitry to become extremely sensitive to
stimuli associated with a drug.When exposed to these stimuli, the brain immediately
recognizes them and responds by initiating a motivated state to obtain the drug.
One factor that tends to increase exposure to an addictive drug is the development of
________________. ✅tolerance
Tolerance is ✅a decrease in responsiveness to a drug, such that an individual must
increase the dose of the drug they take if they wish to continue getting the response
they have become accustomed to.
Behavioral tolerance is ✅become used to the effects of the drug and so we can
tolerate them much more
The two types of biological tolerance is centered around the idea of
__________________________. Which is? ✅Homeostasis is the tendency of a
physiological system to move toward a state of equilibrium.
Pharmacokinetic tolerance is ✅changes in rates of enzyme metabolism.
These changes help the body to maintain homeostasis by ridding it of a foreign
substance, at the same time influencing the drug's pharmacokinetics in such a way that
it has less of an effect on the individual.
An example is the enzymes that metabolize alcohol, preventing alcohol for going into
your blood and then getting to your brain. So, one way the body tries to get rid of
alcohol to maintain homeostasis is by increasing the enzymes.
Pharmacodynamic tolerance is ✅changes in the way drugs interact with their
receptors.
Changes are typically undertaken in an attempt to regulate levels of neurotransmitter
activity and to maintain homeostasis.
Receptor up regulation and receptor down regulation
