Schizophrenia: Biological Treatment Flashcards
(7 cards)
what are antipsychotics?
drugs used to reduce the intensity of symptoms. taken in tablet or syrup form. some patients can take them short-term and their symptoms don’t return. others may need it for a lifetime or face recurrence of SZ.
what are typical antipsychotics?
chlorpromazine act as antagonists in the dopamine system, they reduce the actions of neurotransmitters. dopamine antagonists block dopamine receptors in synapses in the brain. this reduces symptoms like hallucinations. it’s an effective sedative and calms patients down.
what’s atypical antipsychotics?
they were developed to maintain and improve the effectiveness of drugs in suppressing the symptoms of psychosis and minimise side effects.
what’s clozapine?
it binds to dopamine receptions just like chlorpromazine but it also acts on serotonin and glutamate receptors. it helps improve mood and reduces depression and anxiety. these drugs are prescribed when a patient has a high risk of suicide.
what’s evidence for effectiveness? (A03)
Thornley reviewed studies comparing the effects of Chlorpromazine with a placebo so the patient’s experience is identical except the presence of chlorpromazine. data from 13 trials with 1121 participants showed chlorpromazine was associated with better overall functioning and reduced symptoms severity, also that relapse rates are reduced.
what are the serious side effects? (A03)
typical antipsychotics are associated with dizziness, agitation, sleepiness and weight gain. long-term use can result in tardive dyskinesia (dopamine supersensitivity) can cause involuntary facial movement. atypical antipsychotics were developed to reduce frequency of side effects and has succeeded.
why does the use of antipsychotics depend on the dopamine hypothesis? (A03)
there is some evidence to show that this original dopamine hypothesis is not a complete explanation for SZ, and dopamine levels may be too low rather than too high. if this is true, it’s unclear how dopamine antagonists help with SZ if they reduce dopamine activities. this has undermined the faith in antipsychotics.
