Question

A patient enters a drug rehab center with a cocaine addiction (drug dependence). What will happen to the patient when the drug is removed and why?

A) Increased withdrawal symptoms; compensatory response
B) Decreased withdrawal symptoms; habituation
C) No change in withdrawal symptoms; irreversible damage
D) Gradual improvement in withdrawal symptoms; metabolic adaptation

Answer 1

When the drug is removed, a patient with a cocaine addiction will experience increased withdrawal symptoms due to a compensatory response in the brain.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a patient with a cocaine addiction enters a drug rehab center and the drug is removed, they will experience increased withdrawal symptoms due to a compensatory response. Cocaine works by impairing the reuptake of dopamine and causing more dopamine to be released in the brain. When the drug is removed, the brain tries to compensate for the lack of dopamine by increasing its sensitivity, resulting in withdrawal symptoms.