Psychology
Biological Influences on Drug Use
Biological influences on drug use refer to the impact of genetic, neurological, and physiological factors on an individual's susceptibility to drug use and addiction. These influences can include genetic predispositions, brain chemistry, and the body's response to drugs, all of which play a significant role in shaping an individual's likelihood of engaging in drug use and developing substance abuse disorders.
Written by Perlego with AI-assistance
8 Key excerpts on "Biological Influences on Drug Use"
Learn about this page
Index pages curate the most relevant extracts from our library of academic textbooks. They’ve been created using an in-house natural language model (NLM), each adding context and meaning to key research topics.
- Philip Murphy, Philip N. Murphy(Authors)
- 2020(Publication Date)
- Routledge(Publisher)
A considerable overlap with the subject matter of psychopharmacology is to be noted here with regard to pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes. As such processes may be regarded in a broad sense as biological, with their consequences for drug action having effects on psychological functioning (i.e. on cognitions and behavioural responses), it is difficult and artificial to separate them from a discussion of a psychobiological perspective on substance use. The term ‘social psychology’ will be used to refer to the study of psychological phenomena in relation to social influences. One commonly accepted definition of social psychology describes it as “the scientific study of the ways that people’s behaviour and mental processes are shaped by the real or imagined presence of others” [ 10 ]. From this perspective, it is these interpersonal influences which contribute to a person’s interpretation of and attribution of meaning to their behaviour. The next section of this chapter outlines some of the basic elements of psychobiological knowledge which may serve as a foundation for examining the relationship of this discipline to other domains which focus on a substance user’s subjective meanings and their interpretation of their own behaviour. Psychobiological processes in substance use and misuse The bioavailability of a drug to the brain is fundamental to its ability to influence cognition, mood, and overt behaviour. From a psychobiological perspective, two important ways in which a consumed drug may influence psychological functioning are through acting in some way on the processes of neurotransmission, and/or changing the structural properties of the brain in a way which has consequences for psychological functioning and overt behaviour
eBook - ePubDrug Abuse and Antisocial Behavior
A Biosocial Life Course Approach
- Christopher P. Salas-Wright, Michael G. Vaughn, Jennifer M. Reingle González(Authors)
- 2017(Publication Date)
- Palgrave Macmillan(Publisher)
2014 ). The list goes on and on as we have observed the manifold ways that social factors of all sorts help us make sense of who is and isn’t at heightened risk of addiction. Beyond the specifics, the takeaway here is that, while neurobiology is indispensable to a state-of-the-art understanding of addiction, there is simply no getting around the fact that drug abuse and addiction are phenomena that are also profoundly social in nature.Above we mentioned that some thinkers would likely suggest we situate our understanding of addicted brains within a broader social context. We should note that such thinking is not unique to ecological-systems theorists, but rather is an assertion that is also made by the leading proponents of the brain disease model of addiction. Leshner (1997 ) notes quite clearly in his seminal piece on addiction as a brain disease that “Addiction is not just a brain disease. It is a brain disease for which the social contexts in which it has both developed and is expressed are critically important” (p. 46). Similarly, McLellan et al. (2000 ), in their original article casting addiction as a chronic medical illness, unequivocally underscore the critical importance of factors such as socioeconomic status and social supports in the successful treatment of addiction and other chronic illnesses. Along the same lines, even a cursory review of the neurobiological model proposed by Volkow and Baler (2014 ) points to the foundational impact of factors in the economic, social, and built environment in influencing risk for drug use disorders. Simply, since its inception, leading theorists have continually recognized that the genetic and neurobiological understanding of addiction must be situated within a social, economic, and environmental context. In the words of Carter and Hall (2012 ),A major challenge for addiction policy and ethics will be finding ways to educate the public about the neurobiological basis of addiction in ways that recognize that drug use and addiction involves changes in the brain, but can still nevertheless be affected by individual and social choices, and the social environment (p. 249).
- Amy E. Wenzel(Author)
- 2017(Publication Date)
- SAGE Publications, Inc(Publisher)
Genetic variations in sensitivity of the GO system (i.e., individuals may vary in the extent of pleasure received from drug use) and/or STOP system (i.e., individuals may vary in their ability to inhibit their pursuit of immediate gratification in favor of delayed rewards) may help explain why some, but not all, individuals who try drugs go on to develop problematic use. Research suggests that half of the vulnerability to drug addiction is determined by genetic factors, whereas the remaining half is due to environmental factors. Epigenetic mechanisms are recently discovered biochemical processes through which the environment interacts with and modifies the expression of an individual’s genes. The result is long-lasting functional changes that contribute to the persistence of drug use disorders.Elizabeth C. Katz and Chris LewisSee also Addictive Disorders: Overview ; Alcohol Use Disorder: Biological Factors ; Biological Constructs: Overview ; Cannabis Use Disorder ; Cocaine Use Disorder ; Drug Use Disorders: Risk for ; Neuroimaging ; Opioid Use DisorderFurther Readings
Childress , A. R.(2006 ). What can human brain imaging tell us about vulnerability to addiction and to relapse? InW. R. Miller&K. M. Carroll(Eds.), Rethinking substance abuse: What the science shows, and what we should do about it (pp. 46 –60 ). New York, NY : Guilford Press .Hasin , D.,Hatzenbuehler , M., &Waxman , R.(2006 ). Genetics of substance use disorders . InW. R. Miller&K. M. Carroll(Eds.), Rethinking substance abuse: What the science shows, and what we should do about it (pp. 61 –77 ). New York, NY : Guilford Press .Kalivas , P. W., &Volkow , N. D.(2005 ). The neural basis of addiction: A pathology of motivation and choice . American Journal of Psychiatry , 162 , 1403 –1413 . doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.162.8.1403Koob , G. F.(2006 ). The neurobiology of addiction: A hedonic Calvinist view . InW. R . Miller&K. M . Carroll(Eds.), Rethinking substance abuse: What the science shows, and what we should do about it (pp. 25 –45 ). New York, NY : Guilford Press .Koob , G. F.(2015 ). The dark side of emotion: The addiction perspective . European Journal of Pharmacology , 753 , 73 –87 . doi:10.1016/j.ejphar.2014 .11.044Umesh , S.,Khess , C. R. J.
eBook - ePub- British Medical Association(Author)
- 2022(Publication Date)
- Routledge(Publisher)
10 One of the major difficulties in identifying the causes of and motives for drug use is that much of the research into influences on drug use has to be — by its very nature — descriptive. Certain personality types, socio-economic situations and family structures are also coexistent with drug use. Whether one can be said to encourage or cause the other, however, remains unresolved.Personality and mental illness
One of the longest running debates in the drugs field is whether there is a relationship between an individual’s mental state and drug-taking, and whether the former can be said to cause the latter, the former is the result of the latter, or whether they are simply strongly associated. A recent Dutch study found that 9 in 10 polydrug users undergoing treatment could be ‘dual diagnosed’ for at least 1 personality disorder11 (‘dual diagnosis’ refers to the coexistence of substance use and 1 or more separate psychiatric disorder).12 Very little research, however, has been undertaken in the UK on this relationship. One of the few studies carried out, found that 55% of patients admitted to a psychiatric unit in the South-West of England had a history of drug or alcohol dependence and that serious violence was particularly associated with such dependence.13Studies have found that schizophrenic patients using drugs have an earlier onset of psychosis14 and their functioning is better than non-drug using schizophrenics prior to their illness. This has been interpreted as suggesting that drug use may have precipitated their psychotic illness but it could alternatively be the case that those in the acute stages of illness may have had a milder disorder which had been exacerbated by the substance misuse.15
eBook - ePubNeurobiology and Mental Health Clinical Practice
New Directions, New Challenges
- Dennis Miehls, Jeffrey Applegate, Dennis Miehls, Jeffrey Applegate(Authors)
- 2017(Publication Date)
- Routledge(Publisher)
Although we fully accept the importance of social context and believe that psychosocial factors serve as underpinnings or triggers of addictions, we wish to highlight the basic and applied literature on the neurobiology of SUD and the research on integrated treatment. Areas of neurobiological study have focused on the development of addictions (e.g., the role of genetics, the role of dopamine and the reward system, and the role of neurotransmitter signaling causing tolerance and cravings) and on how this body of research informs multidimensional approaches to treatment. The following findings emerge from these areas of study.HIGHLIGHTS OF NEUROBIOLOGICAL RESEARCH Research on Etiology of AddictionGENETIC STUDIESFor centuries, it has been common knowledge that “alcoholism runs in families” (Kalant, 2009, p. 784), leading clinicians and persons with SUD to believe that addiction is genetically based. Indeed, family, twin, and adoption studies show that SUD has high hereditability and that genes play a role in one’s risk for developing addictions (Pihl & Stewart, 2013). Studies estimate that 40% to 60% of an individual’s vulnerability to addiction is due to genetic factors (National Institute of Drug Abuse [NIDA], 2010). However, Pihl and Stewart (2013) argued it is impossible to generalize these genetic findings, because biological markers vary from family to family and there have been hundreds, if not thousands, of genes identified as contributory to addictions, perhaps indirectly. Some of these genes, such as ones related to impulsivity, are evident in a number of other behavioral disorders and are not specific to addiction. Kalant (2009) also underscored that “a gene does not encode a trait,” and genes “are not necessarily continuously active, i.e., they may be switched on (‘expressed’) or off under different circumstances” (p. 785).Clearly, genetic factors are not the sole biological influence on substance use. Once a person begins using alcohol and/or other drugs, these substances affect nearly all brain neurotransmitters in complex ways not fully understood (G. Shean, personal communication, January 28, 2014). The following information describes some of the known neurochemical effects of substance use, yet this overview is inevitably oversimplified and subject to elaboration and revision as more knowledge becomes available.
- Bernard Segal, Bernard Segal(Authors)
- 2022(Publication Date)
- Routledge(Publisher)
Newcomb & Bentler, 1985 ). As noted earlier, general involvement with drugs typically declines during the third decade of life. Still, there is a degree of stability or consistency in the relative involvement with drugs; those most deeply involved as adolescents are most likely to be involved as young adults. Those who were most deeply involved and, to a degree, who “matured out” of excessive substance abuse tend to become involved in adult roles, particularly marriage or a committed relationship. Marijuana use tends to be seen as incompatible with adult family roles, and thus, in successful marriages, tends to cease around the time of marriage (males) or childbirth (females). In short, drug involvement may predict choices and changes in the psychosocial development of the person, and may change along with such transitions.DRUGS AND DRUG USE
It may strike the reader as rather strange that explanations of drug-using behaviour do not refer to the psychoactive properties of these drugs. In all of these models, psychopharmacological factors are implicit or ignored. And yet, it is well-established that chronic and excessive use of a drug can cause changes in physiological systems which mediate drug action, changes in the rate at which the drug is metabolized, and changes in what users experience when the drug is taken and when it is not taken. Current research on neurochemical receptors and endogenous substances which resemble opiate and benzodiazapine drugs suggests that these systems may well be altered by chronic excessive use (Weisz & Thompson, 1983 ).It must be noted, for example that DSM-III (1980) defines two types of substance use disorders: abuse, defined in terms of adverse consequences over a period of time of continued use, and dependence a more serious disorder defined in terms of tolerance and withdrawal. A recent psychiatric critique suggests merging these two categories, in part because physiological dependence is not equivalent or indicative of the experience of “being dependent,” and does not explain the compulsive character of addictive behaviour (Rounsaville, Spitzer & Williams, 1986
eBook - ePubAlcohol, Other Drugs, and Behavior
Psychological Research Perspectives
- John R. Jung(Author)
- 2009(Publication Date)
- SAGE Publications, Inc(Publisher)
CHAPTER 5Neurobiology of Alcohol and Other Drug Use
What Happens After Drugs Are Taken? How Drugs Affect the Nervous System How Neurons Communicate How Alcohol and Other Drugs Affect Neurotransmission Changes in Neurophysiology With Prolonged Drug Use Neuroadaptational Models Physical Effects of Drugs A Safe Level of Alcohol Use? Summary Stimulus/ResponseDown among his nerve-cells and fibres the molecules are counting it, registering and storing it up to be used against him when the next temptation comes .—William James, Principles of Psychology (1890), p. 127P eople get alcohol and other drugs into their bodies through a variety of means. Whereas they swallow or sip alcoholic beverages, they typically smoke tobacco and marijuana, although some may also chew smokeless tobacco. Heroin is typically injected directly into veins while cocaine is commonly snorted, sniffed, or smoked. The specific method by which drugs are consumed is an important determinant of how rapidly specific drugs reach the brain. Eventually, drugs are detoxified by metabolic processes or eliminated from the body as waste material. Pharmacokinetics refers to how drugs enter, circulate, and exit our bodies whereas pharmacodynamics deals with the physiological and biochemical effects of drugs and the mechanisms of action.Irrespective of how drugs enter the body and find their way to the brain, they affect neuro-transmission processes that determine their psychological and behavioral impact. The purpose of this chapter is to provide a basic understanding of the pharmacology and neurophysiology of psychoactive drugs. As we shall see in this chapter, however, these processes are not invariant over time. They differ for the initial, intermediate, and later episodes because continued use of alcohol and other drugs creates neurophysiological changes in brain processes (Koob & Le Moal, 2005).
eBook - ePubThe Everything Health Guide to Addiction and Recovery
Control your behavior and build a better life
- Linda L Simmons(Author)
- 2008(Publication Date)
- Everything(Publisher)
Social learning theory has contributed significantly to understanding the social causes of addiction. Social learning theory is a psychological concept that attempts to explain through a set of observations how a person learns behaviors through social interactions. There are four stages in social learning theory that may explain a potential addict’s behavior, the first of which involves attention. The potential addict makes a conscious choice to watch others engaging in addictive behaviors. Memory is the second stage, with the individual recalling what he has observed. The third stage is imitation. In this stage, the individual repeats the behaviors that he has observed. Motivation is the fourth stage. If the addictive behavior is to be imitated and carried out, there must be some internal motivation for the individual to do so. How does this learning theory apply to the development of addictions? The addictive behavior of a friend, family member, peer, or other admired individual gets one’s attention. An addict may remember watching addictive behaviors in those people he looked up to or admired. At some point, he may have made a choice to try the addictive substance or behavior that he observed. The internal motivation he may have felt to continue using the addictive substance or behavior may have been the approval of the person being imitated, or the numbing of emotional pain, or the stimulation of the pleasure pathway in his brain. All of this may have happened at either a conscious or an unconscious level.EssentialOnce an individual becomes addicted to substances or behaviors, family attention often shifts from family issues to the addict. It is common for the addicted person to be blamed for family problems at this point. The stress of unresolved family problems can contribute to the development and perpetuation of addictions.Responses such as stimulation of the pleasure pathway serve as positive reinforcement, which keeps the addictive behavior going. Positive reinforcement in this case is when one experiences good feelings such as mellowness, euphoria, relaxation, or a “high” after use of a substance or addictive behavior. Positive reinforcement also occurs when a person experiences acceptance from others who use addictive substances or behaviors.Psychological FactorsRemember that it is common for a person to self-medicate to cope with her problems. If someone seeks to find relief from emotional difficulties through substances or compulsive behaviors, she may develop addictions. This is a popular perspective on the cause of addictions. Addictive substances and/or behaviors may be used to relieve one’s stress, to improve one’s mood, and to relieve one’s emotional pain and discomfort. It is currently well known that addictions frequently go hand in hand with mood disorders and other psychological problems. Mental health problems that are frequently seen coexisting with addictions can include anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and personality disorders.
