Cocaine Addiction Psychology

The ponderance that Brain = Behavior and the inherent ramifications of such proves no more fascinating than when addressed in the context of "Addiction and the Brain". Essential to consider is:

Addictions are a diverse set of common and complex diseases that are to some extent tied together by shared genetic and environmental factors. Addiction includes alcohol use disorders, cannabis and cocaine use disorders, nicotine dependence, as well as non-substance–related behaviors. Both genetic and environmental variables contribute to the use and abuse of addictive substances, which may eventually lead to addiction.

Genetic factors, such as having a family history of drug abuse, has a major influence on the likelihood that someone will fall into a cycle of drug abuse and addiction (Volkow, 2007; Horvath et al., 2013). From a biological perspective, we address issues by attending to the underlying biological cause. Since we know that addiction can be influenced by chemical changes in the brain, we can combat it and prevent relapse by restoring brain chemistry through the use of medications, such as those that eliminate the pleasurable effects of drugs, and ideally through total abstinence from drugs (Horvath et al.,

Cocaine’s mode of action has been shown to involve the dopamine receptors. This paper will discuss how cocaine affects dopamine receptors, the mode of addiction, how cocaine affects the frontal brain metabolic activities, as well as the role of excitatory amino acids in cocaine’s mechanism. I will also discuss how cocaine affects another system through its mechanism on the brain—the renin angiotensin system.

Across all addictions, there is a central theory as to how such an addiction can occur. The common mechanism of all addictive substances is the activation of the brain’s “reward system”, made up of dopaminergic neurons of the midbrain and their extensions to the limbic system (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3272277/). This system is normally used in advancing evolutionary fitness promoting activity, such as sex, food, or social interactions (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3272277/). In such normal natural behaviors, the reward system activity is relatively brief and weak. However, addictive substances abuse the system’s circuitry, causing

Addiction is defined as a chronic brain disease that is characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful consequences. In my opinion, compulsive drug use is a hallmark of addiction, yet a mechanistic understanding of this process has been elusive. Drug use is initiated primarily to obtain the excitatory actions of addictive drugs on brain reward systems. The reward pathway evolved to promote activities that are essential to the survival of the human race as well as other mammals (Bailey 2004). When stimulated by drugs of abuse, addiction often occurs especially in those who are genetically or otherwise “neurochemically” vulnerable

According to Dr. Nora D. Volkow in a Letter from the Director. She describes drug addiction as follows. “Drug addiction is a brain disease characterized by compulsive, at times uncontrollable drug craving, seeking, and use despite devastating consequences – behaviors that stem from drug induced changes in brain structure and function. These changes occur in some of the same brain areas that are disrupted in various other mental disorders”. This explanation implies that the drug addiction is something that cannot be helped. Some factors related to co-occurrence are genetic, brain chemistry, environmental and

Low income, crack-cocaine addicted African American mothers face many challenges as they seek addiction treatment. Limited research suggests that women who seek addiction treatment can potentially lose custody of their children to Child Protective Services Intervention. Ironically however, women in need of treatment for any other illness face no such threat of losing their children. Unfortunately, women with substance use histories often encounter criminal penalties or the lost of their children to Child Protective Services. Consequently, many of these women are afraid to seek treatment. Due to the social injustices faced by women with substance addictions, elected officials and policymakers should consider enacting legislation that provide

When a human encounters a reward such as sex, money, food or approval, it triggers the release of dopamine into the bloodstream, which gives a natural high. Now if drugs were introduced into a body, the brain would create up to 10 times the normal amount of dopamine, which is why drugs create such euphoria during a high (Siddiqui 4). This alarming amount of dopamine production is far beyond what the human brain can produce, thus leading to the brain solely relying upon the drug for dopamine production. Once an individual recovers from the high, the body undergoes homeostasis which is the regulation to bring the every system in the body back to normal. However the brain has become so reliant on the drug to induce dopamine it there is a shift in priority for the individual, a shift that convinces the brain the drug is necessary for survival (Siddiqui 6). With these afflictions to the human mind, research is still ongoing for exactly what causes addiction. The University of Utah is currently the leader in genetics study towards how addiction works and has come to the conclusion that addiction is inherited. The discovery is a result of isolating key genes, receptor cells and hormones that work in specific combinations that are directly related for certain addictions. The research was conducted on lab mice by administering different drugs such as alcohol and cocaine, and then meticulously identifies those that became addicted and identified certain aspects of their

In this paper the many physical and psychological effects of Cocaine use will be presented to the reader. The reader will be able to see the rough timeline of Cocaine use and how it has evolved into the narcotic that is seen today. It will be clear to see just how much the theories on the drug has changed throughout history as a one point Sigmund Freud himself promoted the drug as healthy and could see no fault within its effects (UXL Encyclopedia of Science, 2015). In today’s world it is clear that cocaine is in fact dangerous and it is up to the reader to decide whether the physical effects or psychological effects are more drastic.

The disease model: This theory states that an individual who abuses drugs requires medical treatment rather than moral punishment or exhortation. This theory also justifies spending money to research substance abuse in the same way that money is spent to research other diseases. However, usually the term disease is reserved for a state in which we can identify an abnormal biochemical or physical condition. No abnormal biochemical or physical condition has been found in the case of substance addiction, although mounting evidence suggests that some individuals are genetically predisposed to addiction more so than others. Nevertheless, this theory continues to appeal to researchers, and an intensive effort is always being made to identify the physiological “switch” that establishes addiction after exposure to a drug (Lee, 2010).

In animal models, cocaine is administered either chronically or acutely to parallel long and short- term usage respectively. Chronic cocaine can also be infused intermittently, at irregular intervals, to mimic human intake and addiction. Kumar et al. (2005) found that acute and chronic exposure to cocaine are each associated with different histone post-translational epigenetic modifications in mice. The effects of both acute and chronic cocaine on the promoter regions of genes implicated in addiction such as cFos, FosB, and Brain-Derived Neurotropic Factor (BDNF) were investigated. These modifications were observed using chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), an antibody- based method used to detect specific histone modifications associated with DNA. It was found

How does our brain work and affect addictions? Are genetics responsible for the risk of addiction and alcoholism? Is our own brain teaching us to want more drugs and to relapse? Studying the genetics of the brain and how the brain works once introduced to drugs can lead to more understanding of addictions and to find more treatments for addictions. Drug addiction negatively affects the individual, their family and ultimately society as a whole.

Mao and McGehee (2010) stated that the complicated behavioral occurrence of drug addiction is fundamentally a biological progression, where recurring exposure to a drug changes the activity and metabolism of neurons that are responsive

Have you ever dealt with the effects of drug addict? A drug is a person who is addicted to drugs or alcohol, which has a psychological effect when ingested or otherwise introduced into the body. The effects of drug use can vary depending on the person. According to “Causes and types of narcotic addiction: A Psychosocial View” in the Psychiatric Quarterly it says, “The causes of drugs stem from the manner of which you were introduced to it whether it be by abnormal curiosity, chance encounters with addicts and narcotic peddlers, or prolonged illness” (Ausubel). The effects of drugs can be have different effects on everyone differently depending if its for pleasure or for relieving pain Most of the effects of drugs occur in the brain, where it increases the level of dopamine at a specific site possibly giving the addict the pleasure they were feigning for (Robbins). As a child I didn’t know much about drugs except for what your parents and teachers at school tell you which is, “Just Say No.”