CAI Substance Use Disorders and Treatment Options Flashcards

Which neurotransmitter system is most directly implicated in the reinforcing effects of opioids?

Answer: Dopaminergic reward pathway

Opioids produce reinforcing effects primarily by activating the dopaminergic reward pathway in the brain.

According to the DSM-5, how many criteria must be met within a 12-month period to diagnose a moderate substance use disorder?

Answer: 4–5

A moderate substance use disorder requires meeting 4–5 of the 11 DSM-5 diagnostic criteria within a 12-month period.

Which medication is approved for treating alcohol use disorder by reducing cravings through opioid receptor blockade?

Answer: Naltrexone

Naltrexone blocks opioid receptors, reducing the pleasurable effects of alcohol and thereby decreasing cravings.

What term describes the phenomenon where an individual requires increasing amounts of a substance to achieve the same effect?

Answer: Tolerance

Tolerance is the need for progressively larger doses of a substance to achieve the original effect.

Which level of care in the ASAM criteria involves clinically managed low-intensity residential services?

Answer: Level 3.1

ASAM Level 3.1 represents clinically managed low-intensity residential treatment for adults with stable functioning.

Which co-occurring disorder is most commonly seen alongside alcohol use disorder?

Answer: Major depressive disorder

Major depressive disorder is the most frequently co-occurring psychiatric condition in individuals with alcohol use disorder.