In reference to abnormal psychology, what causes substance-related Research Proposal

In reference to abnormal psychology, what causes substance-related disorders, particularly those dealing with alcohol abuse - Research Proposal Example Increased tolerance for alcohol is genetically mediated (Alcohol abuse, Mental health channel). Neurobiological influences: People use illegal drugs and alcohol for their pleasurable experiences. Human brain has a pleasure pathway that mediates our experience of reward. Researchers have proposed the domaminergic system and its opioid-releasing neurons as the pleasurable pathway. This begins in the midbrain ventral segmental area and then work its way forward through the nucleus accumbens and on the frontal vortex (Barlow & Durand, 2004). The substances activate this center and impart feelings of pleasure. Drugs like amphetamine and cocaine directly activate the dopaminergic system. Opiates inhibit GABA which inturn stops the GABA neurons from inhibiting dopamine, thus making dopamine more available in the reward center (Barlow & Durand, 2004). Other than imparting pleasures, these drugs also have anxiolytic effect and remove unpleasant experiences like pain and feelings of illness. Alcohol has a strong anxiolytic effect. The anxiolytic effects are because of the drugs are due to their involvement with septal/hippocampal system which have a large number of GABA-sensitive neurons (Barlow & Durand, 2004). Many of the drugs enhance the activity of GABA in this region and inhibit the brains normal reaction to anxiety-producing situations. Some studies have pointed to a relation between certain brain wave patterns and an increased risk for alcoholism (Barlow & Durand, 2004). Racial influences: Chinese, Japanese, and Koreans have deficiency or absence of alcohol dehydrogenase and hence tend to drink less and are at lower risk for alcoholism (Alcohol abuse, Mental health channel). This is because, the inability to metabolize alcohol in these people causes various symptoms like vomiting, flushing, and increased heart rate, thus making drinking difficult.