B2 Physiological addiction
● Smoking biological approach- Genes and dopamine
● Smoking learning approach- Classical and operant conditioning
● Alcohol cognitive approach- self medication model
● Alcohol learning approach- operant conditioning
, Smoking biological approach (genetic predisposition)
● Genes may be a risk factor for nicotine addiction (may have a genetic predisposition to smoking)
● Genetic predisposition- Certain gene variants occur more often in people who experience addiction
● People with these gene variants is at greater risk for developing an addiction than someone who doesn’t ie. they
have a genetic predisposition to addiction
● It doesn’t mean they definitely will, but risk factors increase the likelihood even more
● especially if there are lots of risk factors around them (friends/ family who use smoke and starting to smoke at a
young age)
● Vink found: smoking initiation is caused by 44% genetic factors, 56% environmental factors
Maintenance and relapse
● A person may continue smoking because of the genes they have inherited
● Vink found: nicotine dependence = 75% genetic factors, 25% environmental factors
, Smoking biological approach (dopamine receptors)
● Dopamine is the brain's ‘pleasure and reward chemical’
● Nicotine attaches to dopamine receptors in the VTA (ventral tegmental area) in the reward pathway-
which triggers dopamine release in the NA (Nucleus accumbens) which gives smokers a
pleasurable buzz
● Nicotine molecules are able to attach to these dopamine receptors- when a smoker starts the
molecules reach the receptors very quickly which triggers release of dopamine from the nucleus
accumbens (NA)
● The feeling of pleasure the smoker receives (the buzz) is rewarding because of the dopamine
release- so smoking is continued
● Smokers continue smoking to avoid withdrawal symptoms (an example of negative reinforcement-
the removal of something negative to strengthen a behavior)
● Smoking biological approach- Genes and dopamine
● Smoking learning approach- Classical and operant conditioning
● Alcohol cognitive approach- self medication model
● Alcohol learning approach- operant conditioning
, Smoking biological approach (genetic predisposition)
● Genes may be a risk factor for nicotine addiction (may have a genetic predisposition to smoking)
● Genetic predisposition- Certain gene variants occur more often in people who experience addiction
● People with these gene variants is at greater risk for developing an addiction than someone who doesn’t ie. they
have a genetic predisposition to addiction
● It doesn’t mean they definitely will, but risk factors increase the likelihood even more
● especially if there are lots of risk factors around them (friends/ family who use smoke and starting to smoke at a
young age)
● Vink found: smoking initiation is caused by 44% genetic factors, 56% environmental factors
Maintenance and relapse
● A person may continue smoking because of the genes they have inherited
● Vink found: nicotine dependence = 75% genetic factors, 25% environmental factors
, Smoking biological approach (dopamine receptors)
● Dopamine is the brain's ‘pleasure and reward chemical’
● Nicotine attaches to dopamine receptors in the VTA (ventral tegmental area) in the reward pathway-
which triggers dopamine release in the NA (Nucleus accumbens) which gives smokers a
pleasurable buzz
● Nicotine molecules are able to attach to these dopamine receptors- when a smoker starts the
molecules reach the receptors very quickly which triggers release of dopamine from the nucleus
accumbens (NA)
● The feeling of pleasure the smoker receives (the buzz) is rewarding because of the dopamine
release- so smoking is continued
● Smokers continue smoking to avoid withdrawal symptoms (an example of negative reinforcement-
the removal of something negative to strengthen a behavior)
