Biological Explanation To Treating SCZ: Drug Therapy

Question 1

Drug therapy

Answer 1

Involved the treatment of SCZ through antipsychotic medication to reduce the symptoms of the disorder

All antipsychotics work by reducing dopaminergic transmission - reducing the actions of dopamine in the brain associated with the symptoms of SCZ

Question 2

Typical antipsychotics

Answer 2

• Chlorpromazine

Work as dopamine antagonists: reduce dopamine activity by blocking receptors at the synapse
• Bind to receptors but don’t stimulate them, reducing action of dopamine
• initially domaine levels build up but then production is reduced
• this normalises neurotransmission in key areas of the brain reducing positive symptoms

Side effects:
• Lethargy
• Dry mouth
• Tardive dyskinesia: uncontrollable muscle movements usually affecting the face

Question 3

Atypical antipsychotics

Answer 3

• Clozapine and risperidone

Block dopamine receptors
• only temporarily occupy the receptors then rapidly dissociate to allow normal dopamine transmission
• also act on other neurotransmitters: serotonin and glutamate
• address negative symptoms too

Side effects:
• Cardiovascular problems
• Arangulpcytosis: fatally low levels of neutrophil

Question 4

Evaluations

Answer 4

• Likelihood of side effects ranging from mild to serious and in some cases fatal

• Critics argue if side effects were taken into account a cost-benefit analysis of its advantages would be negative:
~ In the USA a large out of court settlement was awarded to a tardive dyskinesia sufferer on the basis of the HRA and that no one should be subjected to inhuman treatment
~ Widely believe antipsychotics have been used in hospital situations to make patients seem more calmer and easier to manage - patients with secret symptoms may not be able to give fully informed consent

• HEALEY - argued some successful trials of effectiveness have had their data published multiple times, exaggerating positive effects

• LEUCHT - meta-analysis of 65 studies involving 6000 patients with some taken of antipsychotics and placed on placebos
~ 12 months: 64% of placebos relapsed vs 27% relapse

• enhance the quality of life for patients as they allow them to live independently of institutional care