What are the current guidelines for
healthy living?
Why do you think people don’t
follow these guidelines?
Exam questions
What is meant by health Psychology? (3 Marks)
With reference to at least two areas, discuss the
work of a health psychologist. (12 marks)
Pete has been admitted to rehab
clinics on a regular basis over the
past 3 years. He has had drug
dependency and addiction issues for
around 5-6 years which has seriously
jeopardized his health. Pete abuses
heroin on a regular basis, mainly
injecting the substance. However, he
has failed to fully comply with any of
his doctor’s orders. This includes
complete detoxification (controlled
withdrawal from drugs) which also
involves counseling sessions.
In your groups:
List all of the Biopsychosocial factors that may be
preventing Pete from choosing a healthy lifestyle.
According to the Specification you
need to be able to :
• Describe, with reference to heroin and ONE other drug:
(Today)
1. Mode of action
2. Effects
3. Tolerance
(Tomorrow)
1. Physical / psychological dependencies
2. withdrawal
You can think of a brain pathway as a power line that connects two brain
regions. Brain pathways are made up of interconnected neurons along which
signals are transmitted from one brain region to another.
Dopamine is the neurotransmitter used by the reward pathway. But there are
two other important pathways in the brain that utilize dopamine.
Generally, drugs that affect dopamine levels in the brain affect all three of
these dopamine pathways.
Dopamine and another neurotransmitter called Serotonin are released
by a small number of neurons in the brain.
Nigrostriatal pathway
Substantia Nigra to Striatum
. Motor control
. Death of neurons in
this pathway can result in
Parkinson's Disease
Mesolimbic and Mesocortical
pathways
Ventral Tegmental Area to Nucleus
Accumbens, Amygdala & Hippocampus,
and Prefrontal Cortex
. Memory
. Motivation and emotional response
. Reward and desire
. Addiction
. Can cause hallucinations and schizophrenia
if not functioning properly
Tuberoinfundibular pathway
Hypothalamus to Pituitary gland
. Hormonal regulation
. Maternal behavior (nurturing)
. Pregnancy
. Sensory processes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tl8-C9ZuLTA
http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/addiction/r
eward/neurontalk.html
Pass the pen – Draw a synapse
Node of Action:
http://learn.genetics.utah.
edu/content/addiction/dru
gs/mouse.html
Glutamate and GABA
A system in Balance
• Glutamate and GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid)
are the brain's major "workhorse"
neurotransmitters.
• Over half of all brain synapses release glutamate,
and 30-40% of all brain synapses release GABA.
• Since GABA is inhibitory and glutamate is excitatory,
both neurotransmitters work together to control
many processes, including the brain's overall level of
excitation.
• Many of the drugs of abuse affect either glutamate
or GABA or both to exert tranquilizing or stimulating
effects on the brain.
As an antagonist of the GABA receptor, Heroin blocks GABA binding.
This in turn elevates the quantity of Dopamine produced in this
pathway.
This causes an increase in the concentration of dopamine at the
synapse throughout the reward pathway.
Node of Action:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
In groups…..
• Use this system to explain how tolerance may occur…
•
•
•
•
Why may the first ‘high’ never be achieved?
Describe how this leads to physiological dependence?
Describe how this leads to psychological dependence?
Why is withdrawal so bad?
Heroin - Effects
• What is it like to take Heroin?
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJbMWwS
nErA
• http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/addict
ion/drugs/abuse.html
• Withdrawal :
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hw4Hvu
HnQ8&NR=1
HW – Next week
• Complete the two questions from last lessons
worksheet.
• Read and make notes on Heroin in textbook
• Look and Talk to Frank website
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBR2_mc6A4c
– Watch this documentary and make notes on the
Biopsychosocial effects of Bens addiction.
i.e. Biological, cognitive, social and learning
• Read and make notes on the PET ejaculation study.