Question

Long-term persistent use of addictive drugs can lead to changes in gene expression, which largely occur due to epigenetic changes. In 2-3 sentences, describe what tolerance is with respect to addictive behaviors. In your description, give an example of how genetic or biological changes can contribute to tolerance.

Answer 1

AA)TOLERANC is that, a person's diminished response to a drug that is the result of REPEATED USE.Addiction may result in tolerance.Tolerance is a physical effect of repeated use of drugs, not necessarily a sign of sign of addiction.PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC PAIN FREQUENTLY DEVELOP TOLERANCE TO SOME EFFECTS OF PRESCRIPTION PAIN MEDICATIONS WITHOUT DEVELOPING AN ADDICTION TO THEM.

Abusers of illicit and prescription opioids such as HEROINE OR OXYCODONE quickly develop tolerance.OPIOID ABUSERS who take large doses of these drugs to overcome tolerance and get high and are frequently hospitalised or even may die, because they stop breathing.

B)As a result of mutual interaction in several brain structures and with other systems, BEHAVIOURAL TOLERANCE is measured as a result of this change.

Tolerance can be described at various levels of biological complexity.An example is given,

eg.a simple walk on a straight wooden beam is a good measure of a mouse’s coordination and sense of balance. Several brain regions such as visual cortex, occipital cortex, cerebellum talk to each other, as well as with other systems such as, muscular and skeletal,enable the mouse to successfully walk from one end of the beam to the other. Alcohol intoxication impairs this complex coordination and a drunken mouse falls off the beam. An alcohol-tolerant mouse can, at least partially, retain its coordination and walk on the beam almost as well as an alcohol-abstinent mouse, in spite of the ingestion of alcohol.