Biological Therapies

Question 1

How conventional antipsychotics work

Answer 1

They bind to dopamine receptors (D2) and do not stimulate this blocking their action. Linking to the dopamine hypothesis

Question 2

Main aim of conventional antipsychotics

Answer 2

To combat positive symptoms which are products of an over reactive dopamine system such as hallucinations

Question 3

Effectiveness of conventional antipsychotics Davis et al

Answer 3

Meta analysis - found big difference in relapse between treatment And placebo groups - Ross and Reid argued it wasn’t a fair comparison and you can’t conclude affective mess because of this

Question 4

Effectiveness of conventional antipsychotics Davis et al Review

Answer 4

Medication did make a difference to those living with hostility and Critisim in their home (high EE) relapse was 53% placebo relapse was 92%

Question 5

Conventional antipsychotics side effects

Answer 5

Tarsier dyskinesia (uncontrollable movements in the face hands and feet) about 30% get it and 75% is irreversible

Question 6

Antipsychotic medication

Answer 6

Helps the person with the disorder function as well as possible in their life - increasing their feelings of subjective well being

Question 7

Atypical antipsychotic drugs also block…

Answer 7

Serotonin receptors in the brain
Kaput and Remington suggest that these drugs do not involve serotonin or other neurotransmitters but only the dopamine system and the D2 receptors in particular

Question 8

Atypical drugs Lower the likelihood of…

Answer 8

Tardive dyskinesia
Jesse et al 30% of people after nine months with conventional antipsychotics had this but only 5% for those treated with atypical antipsychotics

Question 9

Leucht et al meta analysis

Answer 9

Found that of two new drugs tested only slightly more effective than conventional
Seem to be more effective and negative symptoms than other drugs