Study Guide 8

Question 1

Predisposition to psychiatric disorders (short and long lived aspects)

Answer 1

• genetic/familial
• environmental
• psychosocial
• biological
• medical
• hormonal

Question 2

Medical impact on predisposition to psychiatric disorders

Answer 2

Chronic illness

Question 3

hormonal impact on predisposition to psychiatric disorders

Answer 3

SAD and PPD

Question 4

SAD =

Answer 4

Seasonal affective disorder

Question 5

PPD =

Answer 5

Postpartum depression

Question 6

How does depression occur at the cellular level?

Answer 6

• decreased activity of postsynaptic receptor
• supersensitivity of the presynaptic autoreceptor
• decreased capacity for neurogenesis
• decreased activity of BDNF

Question 7

What would cause decreased activity of the postsynaptic receptor?

Answer 7

• Decreased receptor presence

- decreased NT availability

Question 8

With depression, what causes decreased capacity for neurogenesis?

Answer 8

High glucocorticoid levels = stress

Question 9

BDNF =

Answer 9

Brain derived neurotropic factor

Question 10

What is BDNF?

Answer 10

growth factor

Question 11

BDNF activates neurogenesis here (especially)

Answer 11

Hippocampus (and other areas)

Question 12

BDNF is a major player in:

Answer 12

• neurogenesis
• learning
• memory

Question 13

How does BDNF influence creation of new neurons?

Answer 13

stimulates

• cell division
• migration of stem cells in the brain

Question 14

BDNF is activated by

Answer 14

Exercise

Question 15

What increases synthesis of BDNF?

Answer 15

Increased activity of neurotransmitters

Question 16

What are the goals of using pharmacology to great depression/psychiatric disorders?

Answer 16

• inhibit breakdown of NT
• stimulate release of NT
• block reuptake of NT

Question 17

What are the BIG THREE neurotransmitters implicated in psychiatric disorders?

Answer 17

• dopamine
• serotonin
• norepinephrine

Question 18

How does tx with antidepressants change the brain?

Answer 18

• growth of dendritic spines
• increased number of receptors
• increased NT activity

Question 19

Why are dendritic spines important for depression?

Answer 19

Hotspots for postsynaptic receptors

Question 20

How are amines removed from the synapse and degraded?

Answer 20

• MAO breaks it down at the synapse or shortly after uptake

- renders dopamine inert

Question 21

MAO favors this

Answer 21

Dopamine

Question 22

How is bipolar similar to and different from depression?

Answer 22

Bipolar has all the things that go wrong with depression, but there’s also an added GABA imbalance (or any other inhibitory NT)

Question 23

Types of Bipolar disorder

Answer 23

Bipolar I

Bipolar II

Question 24

Bipolar I

Answer 24

• deep depression

- very high mania

Question 25

Bipolar II

Answer 25

- have depression | - mania is less severe than type I

Question 26

What contributes to psychosis?

Answer 26

- hyperactivity of dopamine | - insufficiency of GABA at modulating glutaminergic activity in the limbic system

Question 27

What is the most common type of psychosis?

Answer 27

Schizophrenia

Question 28

How is schizophrenia different from depression and bipolar disorder (and other mood disorders)?

Answer 28

- does not cycle like depression/bipolar | - full recovery from schizophrenia is unlikely

Question 29

What is the DO NOT MISS list?

Answer 29

- major depression - suicide risk - femoral head and neck fx - cauda equina - cervical myelopathy - abdominal aortic aneurysm - DVT - PE - atypical MI