Question

Part A What biological and psychological factors cause people to abuse opioids? Please incorporate information on the endogenous opioid receptors in your discussion of biological factors. Part B Read the article below on vaccines for opioid addiction. What are your reactions after reading the article? Are you in favor of promiting vaccines for opioid addiction? Support your decision with facts from the article and other scholarly sources.

Harper, J. (2017). Drugmaker behind Vivitrol to cash in on opioid epidemic, one state law at a time. Retrieved from http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/06/12/523774660/a-drugmaker-tries-to-cash-in-on-the-opioid-epidemic-one-state-law-at-a-time

Answer 1

PART A ;

Abuse opioids cause :

Psychological :

As many addictions are caused by an individual attempting to self-medicate the symptoms of an undiagnosed co-occurring mental disorder, mental illness can be a strong indicator of addiction potential.

Biological:

It’s been suggested certain individuals may be born with a lack of the neurotransmitter “endorphins.” In an attempt to self-medicate this inborn deficit, individuals may perhaps, turn to external sources, such as opium narcotics, to obtain these neurotransmitters.

Each subject received a baseline brain scan using a radioactively tagged drug designed to measure the secretion of all forms of endogenous opioid (it bound to all types of the brain's many opioid receptors) and completed a survey of mood.

After the subjects had a two-hour-long run followed by a thirty-minute cool-down period, the brain scan and mood survey were repeated.

The researchers found that this long run was associated with increased opioid release in the runner's' brains, particularly in the prefrontal cortex (a planning and evaluation center) and the anterior cingulate cortex and insula (which serve to interface pain and pleasure with emotions).

In addition, those subjects who reported the highest levels of euphoria after running also had the highest levels of opioid release.

PART B -

Like all vaccines, an opioid vaccine would prime the immune system to create antibodies to fight the invading substance.

It’s important to note that each inoculation developed would target only one type of opioid. In other words, a shot that works for heroin would not be effective against prescription painkillers.

The vaccine in the most advanced stages of development targets heroin.

Created by scientists at The Scripps Research Institute, the vaccine has proven effective in neutralizing heroin in monkeys.

Results thus far have shown it works for up to eight months. The next step will be human clinical trials.

yes, i m favor of promiting vaccines for opioid addiction, this vaccine help to stop addiction and save lifes and treat the addictors.