with a lethal outcome, such as by suppressing respiration. If you want
to modify the game to add this scenario, insert the jokers into each
pile of choice cards and have the students play the game a fourth
time. If a student draws a joker, the game is over for that student.
If you decide to do this optional modification to the game, make sure
that students understand that the joker does not indicate addiction.
The joker would, perhaps, represent a batch of drugs that contain a
lethal contami nant that would cause some body organ to fail and, thus,
cause the person using them to die. Another person, for example, takes
a large enough dose of opioids to completely inhibit the neurons in
the brain that control respira tion; those neurons no longer stimulate
the lungs to contract, causing death. Sometimes a drug can produce a
fatal response for unknown reasons; it could be due to a mutation in a
gene that reduces the body’s ability to metabolize a drug, leading to an
increased, possibly toxic, level of the drug in the body.
Activity 4: Environmental, Behavioral, and Social
Influences on Drug Abuse and Addiction
Note to teachers: This activity, as described in the following steps,
is designed as a class discussion. An alternative approach is to have
individual students write their answers to the questions and then
discuss the questions as a class.
Content Standard C:
1. Display a transparency of Master 4.5, Who Is Addicted? , showing only An individual’s mood and
the top section (to the first horizontal line). Ask students to answer
behavior may be modified
the question.
by substances.
Content Standard F:
Students may respond differently to the question about who is addicted
Personal choice concern ing
to morphine. At this stage, any answer is acceptable if the student can
fitness and health involves
explain the reasoning underlying his or her answer. Some students
will say that Chris is addicted because of the higher dose of morphine
multiple factors.
being taken over a longer period of time. Some students will say Pat
because this could be a larger dose than what Chris is taking (if Chris
is at 50 mg per day). Stu dents could also believe that both individuals
are addicted because of their continued drug abuse. Conversely,
students could respond that possibly neither one is addicted and more
information is needed before a judgment could be made.
2. Reveal the next section on Master 4.5 (to the next horizontal line).
Again have students answer the question and discuss the responses.
Students may respond in a variety of ways. Answers could involve
aspects of genetics, dose, or even random chance.
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Student Lesson 4
The Brain: Understanding Neurobiology Through the Study of Addiction
3. Reveal the remaining section of Master 4.5 and have students read the case studies.
4. Discuss the cases with the class. Use the following questions to
guide the discussion.
• Why did these two individuals begin taking morphine and
then con tinue to take morphine?
Pat began abusing morphine basically for social reasons. Chris began
tak ing morphine for medical reasons.
• What are the differences in how Chris and Pat take morphine?
Pat takes an injection of morphine one time each day. Chris also
receives morphine through injection, but he receives a dose many
times each day.
• How may these differences have influenced whether
addiction develops?
Although Chris receives a higher total dose of morphine during a day,
each single injection is a smaller dose. The smaller single dose does not
lead to the same high that results from a larger dose. Perhaps the fact
that Chris does not feel the euphoria when he receives the morphine
is important in keeping him from being addicted. (It is acceptable for
students to propose answers here even if they cannot be sure.)
• Is a larger dose of a drug the only factor to consider when
thinking about the causes of drug addiction? Explain your
answer based on the case studies.
No, because Chris took a larger dose and did not become addicted.
• Is the length of time that someone has been taking drugs
enough to determine whether addiction will develop?
Explain your answer based on the case studies.
No, because Chris took morphine for a longer period of time and did
not become addicted while Pat took morphine for a shorter period of
time and did become addicted.
• What factors other than the amount (dose) of the drug taken
and the period of time for which the drug is taken may
contribute to addiction?
The expectation of feeling a rush may be a factor. A person getting
mor phine in a hospital would not be taking morphine to get that
feeling. The context of drug (medication) use influences whether
a person becomes addicted. Pat’s use of drugs to escape problems
contributed to the develop ment of drug addiction.
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The cases should reveal to the students that a high dose of a drug is not
enough to cause addiction. The behaviors and motivations for taking
drugs are important factors in the development of addiction. The addicted
street person was using drugs with the expectation of a rush, or high,
and trying to escape life. The patient was taking drugs without the
expectation of a high. The patient experiencing pain uses drugs in order
to function normally. Sci entists do not completely understand why pain
patients do not become addicted after drug use, but the statistics clearly
show that these individu als are at very low risk of becoming addicted.
You may also want to discuss the case of Vietnam veterans with
students. For many years, the media portrayed Vietnam veterans as
hopelessly drug-addicted individuals. Although drug addiction was a
problem for some veterans while in Vietnam, the vast majority of those
veterans have had no problems with drug addiction since returning to
the United States. They may have started using drugs (and subsequently
became addicted) to relieve the stress of combat, to rebel against society,
or even to relieve boredom, but once they were back in a “normal”
environment, they were able to function without drugs.
Activity 5: Long-Term Effects of Drug Abuse and Addiction
Having students view the minidocumentary on the long-term effects
of drugs on the brain is the strongly preferred approach for this activity.
Content Standard A:
If the Internet is not available, follow the procedure for the alternate
version of the activity (on page 114).
Scientists rely on technology to enhance the
gathering and manipula
For classes using the Web version of this activity.
tion of data.
1. Have students view the minidocumentary, LongTerm Effects of
Drugs on the Brain, online.
To view the minidocumentary, which takes about five minutes,
go to the supplement’s Web site. From the activities menu, select Lesson 4— Drug Abuse and Addiction.
Having students write
2. After viewing the minidocumentary, ask students to write brief
their answers to the
answers to the following questions.
questions encourages
them to organize their
• What was the most surprising thing you learned about the
effect of drugs?
thoughts and reflect on
• What makes this fact surprising to you?
what they have learned.
• On the basis of what you have learned through the rat experiment
Listening to students
analysis, the card game, and the minidocumentary, would you say
explain their view about
that drug addiction is a disease? Justify your answer.
drug addiction as a
disease will help you
Students should be encouraged to relate what they learned in Activities
1 through 4 to what they learned from the minidocumentary.
evaluate their
understanding.
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Student Lesson 4
The Brain: Understanding Neurobiology Through the Study of Addiction
3. After students have completed their answers to the questions,
discuss the questions as a class.
Drug addiction is a disease that causes physical and functional
changes in the brain. This is similar to other diseases in which
a part of the body does not function properly.
4. Encourage students to learn about how drugs affect other body
systems by doing library or Internet searches.
Because the focus of this unit is the brain, the curriculum supplement
does not address how drugs act on other parts of the body. However, a
great deal of additional information is available online. See the section
Additional Resources for Teachers for some informative Web sites.
The following procedure is for classes using the print
version of the activity.
1. Give each student a copy of Master 4.6. Instruct students to read the handout LongTerm Effects of Drugs on the Brain and answer the
questions.
After students finish reading and answering the questions, discuss the
responses as a class.
Sample Answers to Questions on Master 4.6
Question 1. What are some of the ways that drugs cause longterm
changes in the brain?
The continued use of drugs may cause the brain to become resistant
to the effects of the drug (tolerance). Some drugs, such as alcohol,
methampheta mine, and MDMA, are neurotoxic; that is, they can
damage or kill brain cells. Cocaine and amphetamine can cause the
activity level of the brain to decrease for a long period of time after
drug use is stopped.
Question 2. How does the brain adapt to the presence of drugs?
The brain adapts to the presence of drugs through various alterations
in cellular, molecular, and genetic processes that affect its function.
The decrease in the number of dopamine receptors in the reward areas
is one example of a brain adaptation. Changes in the brain can lead
to the development of tolerance—a person needing more of a drug to
achieve the desired effect—and to cravings for the drug when drug
use has stopped.
114
Question 3. How may the abuse of drugs relate to the plasticity
of the brain?
Plasticity means that the brain can modify connections (synapses)
in response to experiences. Drugs that damage or kill neurons can
decrease the plasticity of the brain because neurons are not present
to form new connections and because existing connections are lost.
Drugs also hijack the learning and memory systems of the brain
so that cues (people, places, or things) that are associated with the
drug experience become powerful motivators of craving and drug
use. In fact, addiction is sometimes described as a disease of
learning and memory.
Question 4. What are some problems that scientists have when they
inves tigate the effects of drugs on the brain?
Scientists have difficulty investigating the effects of drugs on the
brain because many people who abuse drugs abuse more than one
drug. Scientists must understand how each drug affects the brain and
body because drugs taken in combination may have different effects.
Also, many people who abuse drugs have other medical conditions
that make it difficult for scientists to determine what effects are due
to the drug and what effects are due to those conditions. Scientists
also don’t know what someone’s brain was like before they used drugs.
This makes it hard to determine whether drug use caused the changes
or a vulnerability existed before drugs were used that made someone
susceptible to addiction.
2. If students want to learn more about how drugs affect other parts
of the body, encourage them to do library or Internet searches for
additional information.
Because this unit focuses on the brain, it does not address how drugs
act on other parts of the body. A great deal of information is available
online. See the section Additional Resources for Teachers (page 143) for
some informative Web sites.
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Student Lesson 4
The Brain: Understanding Neurobiology Through the Study of Addiction
Lesson 4 Organizer: WEB VErSION
What the Teacher Does
Procedure
reference
Activity 1: How Does Drug Abuse Begin?
Ask the class, “What is a drug?” Write responses on the board or a
Page 99
transparency. Allow differing views to be discussed.
Step 1
Write the following definitions for drug and medication on the
Page 99
board or transparency. Inform students that, for this discussion,
Step 2
you will use the terms according to these definitions.
• A medication is a drug that is used to treat an illness or disease
according to established medical guidelines.
• A drug is a chemical compound or substance that can alter the
structure and function of the body. Psychoactive drugs affect
the function of the brain, and some of these may be illegal to
use and possess.
Ask students to list examples of both medications and drugs.
Pages 99–100
Step 3
Continue the class discussion by asking, “Why do people start
Page 100
abusing drugs?” Accept reasonable answers.
Step 4
Activity 2: Drug Abuse Is Voluntary; Addiction Is Compulsive
Organize students into groups of four. Explain how the rats in
Page 100
the experiment were in cages that had two levers. Depending on
Step 1
which lever the rat pressed, it receives a food reward or either an
injection or electrical stimulus.
Give each student a copy of Masters 4.1 and 4.2. Instruct groups to Page 101
choose one rat’s data to graph.
Step 2
Give each student a copy of Master 4.3. Ask groups to compare the
Page 101
graphs and discuss the similarities and differences among the rats’
Step 3
responses. Instruct students to answer the questions on Master 4.3.
Have a class discussion about the questions.
Pages 101–104
Step 4
Ask students to consider the question, Why do humans continue to
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abuse drugs?
Step 5
116
What the Teacher Does
Procedure
reference
Write the definition of addiction on the board or overhead transparency.
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• Addiction is a chronic, relapsing brain disease characterized
Step 6
by compulsive drug-taking despite adverse health, social, or
legal consequences.
Ask students to consider whether Rat A (continued cocaine use)
Pages 104–105
and Rat C (continued stimulation of reward pathway) experienced
Step 7
any adverse effects. What adverse effects do drug-addicted
humans experience?
Prompt students to consider the distinction between abuse and
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addiction in humans by asking the following questions.
Step 8
• When does abuse become addiction?
• What causes abuse to become addiction?
• Does the change from abuse to addiction occur at the same level
(amount of drug taken, duration of drug abuse) of drug abuse
for different individuals?
Activity 3: When Does Abuse Become Addiction?
Divide the class into groups of three students. Give each group a
Page 105
deck of cards that have been divided into two piles. Tell the students
Step 1
that the small pile contains the face cards and the larger pile has the
aces and number cards.
Display a transparency of Master 4.4. Have students play through
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the game. Each student should play individually, but the group
Step 2
members will share the deck of cards.
As a class, discuss the game and the results. Guide the discussion
Pages 106–109
with the following questions.
Step 3
• How many choice cards did each person pick?
• How many people equaled or went over the value of the
switch card?
• How does this game relate to drug abuse and drug addiction?
• What does the transition, or switch, card mean in regard to
drug addiction?
• Is everyone’s transition, or switch, level the same?
• What does the risk card mean?
• Is everyone’s risk card the same?
• Why is the risk card face down?
• What factors influence a person’s risk of becoming addicted to drugs?
• What do the choice cards represent?
• If a total score that equals or goes over the switch value indicates
addiction, did anyone become addicted to drugs with the first drug
use?
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Student Lesson 4
The Brain: Understanding Neuobiology Through the Study of Addition
What the Teacher Does
Procedure
reference
Have students play the game again now that they can relate it to
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the issues of drug abuse and drug addiction.
Step 4
Ask students if they played the game any differently this time. Did
Page 110
they make different choices?
Step 5
Discuss the idea of the switch card. Does anyone really know at
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what point in drug abuse the brain changes and the person who
Step 6
is abusing drugs the abuser becomes an addict? How could you
modify the card game to account for this?
Have the students play the game again, but leave the switch card
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face down this time.
Step 7
Continue the discussion of the game and its relationship to drug
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abuse and addiction. Ask students to summarize the main points
Step 8
that the game conveys:
• Drug abuse involves choice.
• The point at which a person’s brain is changed and drug abuse
becomes addiction is different and unknown for each individual.
• Everyone has risk factors.
• A person does not become addicted to drugs after one episode of abuse.
To model the fact that one episode of drug abuse can result in
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lethal consequences (which is different from addiction), insert the
Step 9
jokers into the pile of choice cards. Have the students play the game
(optional)
again. If a student draws a joker, the game is over for that student.
Activity 4: Environmental, Behavioral, and Social Influences on
Drug Abuse and Addiction
Display the top section of a transparency of Master 4.5. Ask
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students to answer the question.
Step 1
Reveal the next section of Master 4.5. Again have students answer
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the question and discuss the responses.
Step 2
Reveal the remaining section of Master 4.5 and have students read
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the case studies.
Step 3
118
What the Teacher Does
Procedure
reference
Discuss the cases with the class using the following questions to
Pages 112–113
guide the discussion.
Step 4
• Why did these two individuals begin taking morphine and
then continue to take morphine?
• What are the differences in how Chris and Pat take morphine?
• How may these differences have influenced whether
addiction develops?
• Is a larger dose of a drug the only factor to consider when
thinking about the causes of drug addiction?
• Is the length of time that someone has been taking drugs
enough to determine if addiction will develop?
• What factors other than the amount (dose) of the drug taken
and the period of time for which the drug is taken may
contribute to addiction?
Activity 5: Long-Term Effects of Drug Abuse and Addiction
Ask the students to watch the minidocumentary online. From the
Page 113
activities menu, select Lesson 4— Drug Abuse and Addiction.
Step 1
Ask students to write answers to the following questions before
Pages 113–114
discussing the questions as a class.
Steps 2–3
• What was the most surprising thing you learned about the
effects of drugs?
• What makes this fact surprising to you?
• On the basis of what you have learned through analyzing the rat
experiment, the card game, and the minidocumentary, would
you say that addiction is a disease?
Encourage students to learn about how drugs affect other body