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Explanations for Nicotine Addiction

Brain neurochemistry, including the role of dopamine

  • 5 things to know
  • Paper 3

Overview

The receptors nicotine binds to, the dopamine response in the reward pathway, how tolerance develops, and why stopping produces withdrawal.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Key term

Which receptors does nicotine bind to in the brain?

Process

What happens in the brain when nicotine reaches the ventral tegmental area?

Process

How does tolerance to nicotine develop?

Process

Why does stopping nicotine produce withdrawal symptoms?

Numbers

How fast does inhaled nicotine reach the brain?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    What type of receptors does nicotine bind to in the brain?

    Model answer

    Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) located on neurons in the brain.

  2. 2

    In which two brain regions are nicotinic acetylcholine receptors found in particularly high concentrations?

    Model answer

    The ventral tegmental area (VTA) and the nucleus accumbens.

  3. 3

    What happens when nicotine binds to nAChRs on dopaminergic neurons in the VTA?

    Model answer

    The dopaminergic neurons fire and release dopamine.

  4. 4

    Where is dopamine released to when VTA neurons are stimulated by nicotine?

    Model answer

    Into the nucleus accumbens, which is part of the brain's reward pathway.

  5. 5

    What is the mesolimbic dopamine pathway and what does it connect?

    Model answer

    It is a neural pathway connecting the VTA to the nucleus accumbens, and it is central to reward and reinforcement.

  6. 6

    How does dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens contribute to nicotine addiction?

    Model answer

    It produces feelings of pleasure and reward, which reinforces smoking behaviour.

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