Assignment 1d: Neurobiological Abnormalities Associated with Drug Tolerance Case Study

Assignment 1d: Neurobiological Abnormalities Associated with Drug Tolerance Case Study

Objective: Analyze a case of opioid addiction in terms of medications for treatment and their specific mechanisms and action.                                                                                                                              

Instructions

Drug tolerance is a large issue in addictions and the addictive process. In this assignment, we will investigate the neurobiological abnormalities that are associated with drug tolerance.

Read Chapter 1 in your textbook by Mack et al.

Review Richard’s Case Study. 

Richard’s Case Study

Richard is a 62-year-old single man who says that his substance dependence and his bipolar disorder both emerged in his late teens.  He says that he started to drink to “feel better” when his episodes of depression made it hard for him to interact with his peers.  He also states that alcohol and cocaine are a natural part of his manic episodes.  His heroin use is also frequent, especially to help him come down from the mania and cocaine. He also notes that coming off the cocaine and binge drinking contribute to low mood, but he has not responded well to referrals to AA and past inpatient stays have led to only temporary abstinence.  Yet, Richard is now trying to forge a closer relationship to his adult children, and he says he is especially motivated to get a better handle on both his bipolar disorder and his use of cocaine and heroin.  He has been more compliant with his mood stabilizing and antidepressant medication, and his psychiatrist would like his dual diagnoses addressed with psychotherapy.

Write 1 to 2-pages responding to the following points: 

Describe neurobiological abnormalities associated with drug tolerance and withdrawal.

Include a discussion of medication to address both the cocaine and the heroin addiction.