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PMCOL 305 Exam Questions With Correct
Answers
Drug of Abuse (def'n) - answer✔a substance that acts at a specific targets and is initially
rewarding to the user but causes changes to neural circuitry chronically
Substance Use Disorder (SUD) - answer✔an umbrella term defined by the DSM-IV for
diagnosis of drug abuse
Main categories of SUD (4) - answer✔1. Impaired control
2. Social Impairment
3. Risky use
4. Pharmacological indicators (tolerance and withdrawal)
Addiction - answer✔most severe definition of SUD
3 C's of Addiction - answer✔1. Consequences: use continues
2. Control loss: inability to stop
3. Compulsive behaviour: drug seeking
Onset of addiction - answer✔Escalating substance use over a period of time
balance of tolerance and dependence
Stages of addiction (3) - answer✔1. Binge and intoxication
2. Withdrawal/Negative affects
3. Craving/Preoccupation + anticipation
Binge and intoxication stage - answer✔In basal ganglia (primitive structure)
mediated by dopamine reward
triggers Pavlovian associative learning that rewires circuitry to anticipate a reward and activate
pathway
, ©THEBRIGHTSTARS 2024
Withdrawal/negative affect stage - answer✔In extended amygdala (emotional memories live
here)
"normal" rewards become less rewarding
reward/motivation is solely drug based
decreases dopamine sensitivity in all stimuli
antireward effect occurs
drug use is target to avoid dysphoria of antireward
Antireward - answer✔The response when not using a drug after a heightened stress response is
rewired due to repeated elevation of dopamine levels
Craving/Preoccupation stage - answer✔In Prefrontal Cortex that controls executive function
and decision making
impaired DA and Glu signalling
difficulty making decisions and resisting urges
all thoughts are drug-related
high levels of relapse
Tolerance - answer✔can take more and more drug without feeling effects, or
need more drug to get same effect
Dependence - answer✔physically/psychologically unwell when NOT using (homeostasis when
on drugs)
cannot function without drugs
the state that occurs after using a drug so frequently that is becomes difficult to function without
occurs after tolerance starts
Adaptation - answer✔changes in neurotransmitter/other pathways to maintain homeostasis
Pharmacodynamic tolerance - answer✔altered neurons in terms of sensitivity and
receptor/transmitters due to chronic use (up-/down-regulation)
responsible for many withdrawal symptoms
can form cross-tolerance for drugs in the same class with similar ADME
Uppers - answer✔increase neurotransmitter availability
employing less receptors to normalize effects
PMCOL 305 Exam Questions With Correct
Answers
Drug of Abuse (def'n) - answer✔a substance that acts at a specific targets and is initially
rewarding to the user but causes changes to neural circuitry chronically
Substance Use Disorder (SUD) - answer✔an umbrella term defined by the DSM-IV for
diagnosis of drug abuse
Main categories of SUD (4) - answer✔1. Impaired control
2. Social Impairment
3. Risky use
4. Pharmacological indicators (tolerance and withdrawal)
Addiction - answer✔most severe definition of SUD
3 C's of Addiction - answer✔1. Consequences: use continues
2. Control loss: inability to stop
3. Compulsive behaviour: drug seeking
Onset of addiction - answer✔Escalating substance use over a period of time
balance of tolerance and dependence
Stages of addiction (3) - answer✔1. Binge and intoxication
2. Withdrawal/Negative affects
3. Craving/Preoccupation + anticipation
Binge and intoxication stage - answer✔In basal ganglia (primitive structure)
mediated by dopamine reward
triggers Pavlovian associative learning that rewires circuitry to anticipate a reward and activate
pathway
, ©THEBRIGHTSTARS 2024
Withdrawal/negative affect stage - answer✔In extended amygdala (emotional memories live
here)
"normal" rewards become less rewarding
reward/motivation is solely drug based
decreases dopamine sensitivity in all stimuli
antireward effect occurs
drug use is target to avoid dysphoria of antireward
Antireward - answer✔The response when not using a drug after a heightened stress response is
rewired due to repeated elevation of dopamine levels
Craving/Preoccupation stage - answer✔In Prefrontal Cortex that controls executive function
and decision making
impaired DA and Glu signalling
difficulty making decisions and resisting urges
all thoughts are drug-related
high levels of relapse
Tolerance - answer✔can take more and more drug without feeling effects, or
need more drug to get same effect
Dependence - answer✔physically/psychologically unwell when NOT using (homeostasis when
on drugs)
cannot function without drugs
the state that occurs after using a drug so frequently that is becomes difficult to function without
occurs after tolerance starts
Adaptation - answer✔changes in neurotransmitter/other pathways to maintain homeostasis
Pharmacodynamic tolerance - answer✔altered neurons in terms of sensitivity and
receptor/transmitters due to chronic use (up-/down-regulation)
responsible for many withdrawal symptoms
can form cross-tolerance for drugs in the same class with similar ADME
Uppers - answer✔increase neurotransmitter availability
employing less receptors to normalize effects
