Biological Therapies

Question 1

what are antipsychotics?

Answer 1

-drugs that are used to reduce the intensity of symptoms, in particular the positive ones.
-they do not cure.
-only one can be used at a time
-usually takes 10 days for them to start working.
-prescription + monitored closely
-orally (tablet or syrup) or injection (ppl who fail to take regular medication)

Question 2

what are typical antipsychotics?

Answer 2

-1st gen of antipsychotics, used since 1950
-dopamine antagonists
-primarily 4 +ve symptoms. such as disordered thinking which are products of overactive dopamine systems.

Question 3

what do typical antipsychotics do?

Answer 3

-reduce amount of dopamine, so reduce symptoms of schiz.

-work by binding to dopamine receptors and blocking their action. By reducing stimulation of dopamine system in brain the antipsychotics can eliminate hallucinations + delusions.

-e.g Chlorpromazine

Question 4

what led to the dopamine hypothesis?

Answer 4

effectiveness of dopamine antagonists in reducing symptoms of schiz.

Question 5

what are atypical antipsychotics?

Answer 5

-drugs for schiz developed after typical.

-target range of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin.

-never types of drugs founded in 1990s combat +ve and -ve symptoms. As well as acting on dopamine system also block serotonin and glutamate receptors.

Question 6

how to atypical antipsychotics work?

Answer 6

-bind to dopamine receptors but rather than permanently block dopamine action, temporarily bind to receptors then rapidly dissociate (separate) to allow normal dopamine transmission.

-explaimn why atypical antipsychotics associated with lower levels of side effects.

-e.g Clozapine and Risperidone.