14 - Mental Health Flashcards
Why do people use NHPs for mental health?
- Manage symptoms (or trying to manage side effects from other Rx products)
- Patient preference
- Belief that “natural is better”
- Information from internet and/or media (ex. Dr. Oz)
- Use of CAM treatments by individuals with mental illness ranges from 16-44% (most common users are individuals with depression)
What is Depression?
- Mental disorder characterized predominantly by depressive features
- Long-term, relapsing condition
- Associated with high levels of substantial health, psychosocial and financial burden (disability, comorbidity and mortality)
- Recognized as target for chronic disease management
How does depression affect physical health?
- Predisposition to obesity/metabolic disorders
- Increased medical comorbidity
How does depression affect function?
- High impact on social domain
- Increased work impairment
Describe the neuroscience behind depression
- Genes
- Stress
- Dysregulation of the HPA axis reduces hippocampal volumes and prefrontal cortex activity
- Antidepressants increase BDNF - neuronal growth and activity
- Cytokines - inflammatory response
What drugs target the monoamines?
- Serotonin transporters/receptors
- Norepinephrine transporters/receptors
- Dopamine transporters/receptors
What drugs target Glutamate?
-NMDA receptors
What drugs target circadian rhythms ?
-melatonin receptors, serotonin receptors
What drugs target stress hormones and cytokines
- Glucocorticoids
- Neurokinin receptors
- TNF alpha
- Cox2 inhibitors
- IL-6
What drugs target neurogenesis ?
BDNF
What are targets for brain structure and function?
- frontal cortex
- subcallosal cingulate gyrus
- nucleus accumbens
- ventral striatum
- vagus nerve
Risk factors for depression:
What are some “setting” factors?
-gender
-age
-SES
-race
culture
Risk factors for depression:
What are some “biological” factors?
- genetics
- structural dysfunction
- process dysfunction
- regulatory dysfunction
Risk factors for depression:
What are some “psychological” factors?
- cognitive schema
- attention/memory
- pessimism
- rumination
- explanatory style
- problem-solving
Risk factors for depression:
What are some “social” factors?
- early trauma/loss
- attachment style
- life events
- social support network
- social rejection
What criteria is required for a diagnosis of MDD (major depressive disorder) ?
A) 5 or more of the following symptoms, present during same 2-week period, must represent a change from previous functioning. At least one symptom must be depressed mood or loss of pleasure:
- Depressed mood
- Markedly diminished interest or pleasure
- Significant weight loss or gain, increase or decrease in appetite
- Insomnia or hypersomnia
- Psychomotor agitation or retardation
- Fatigue or loss of energy
- Feelings or worthlessness or excessive guilt
- Diminished ability to think or concentrate
- Recurrent thoughts of death, suicidal ideation or suicide attempt
B) Symptoms cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational or other important areas of functioning
C) Episode is not due to physiological effects of a substance or another medical condition
D) Not better explained by schizophrenia or other psychotic disorder
E) There has never been a manic or hypomanic disorder
Describe the Clinical Presentation - SADAFACES
S - sleep changes A - anhedonia D - depressed mood A - appetite disturbances F - fatigue A - agitation (psychomotor) or psychomotor retardation C - concentration E - esteem S - suicidal ideation
Pharmacotherapy for MDD?
- Rx medications (antidepressants, antipsychotics, etc)
- NHPs
Psychotherapy for MDD?
- Cognitive behavioural therapy
- Psychoanalytic therapy
Other types of treatment for MDD?
- Yoga
- Exercise
- Mindfulness
What are some NHPs used in depression?
- St. John’s wort
- SAM-e
- L-Tryptophan and 5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP)
- Others (omega 3 fatty acids - fish oils)
Proper name for St. John’s Wort ?
Hypericum perforatum
What is the active component of St. John’s Wort ?
Hypericin standardized for 0.3-0.5%
OR
Hyperforin standardized to 5%
Indications of St. John’s Wort ?
mild to moderate depression, anxiety, ADHD, insomnia
Standard dosing for St. John’s Wort?
300 mg PO TID (range 500-1800 mg/day)
What is the MOA of St. John’s Wort?
- Inhibits the uptake of serotonin, NE and dopamine (works similarly to other drugs that work on monoamines ex. SSRI, SNRI)
- Also impacts glutamate and GABA
- Direct effects on serotonin receptors
Is St. John’s Wort effective for depression?
- Controversial - positive and negative studies exist
- Vast majority of data suggests benefit at improving mood symptoms, insomnia and somatic symptoms in individuals with mild-moderate symptoms
- Systematic reviews confirm comparable efficacy of St. John’s wort to antidepressants and superiority to placebo for mild–moderate MDD
- 1st line mono therapy option for mild-moderate depression
- 2nd line adjunctive treatment for moderate to severe MDD
Some side effects of St. John’s Wort?
- GI upset
- headache
- skin irritation
- photosensitivity
- dry mouth
- Risk of serotonin syndrome and hypomania
St. John’s Wort & pregnancy?
- safety not established din pregnancy
- generally best to avoid and use a treatment with more robust data in this population
What is the most significant potential for harm with St. John’s Wort ?
- The potential for numerous drug interactions
- Likely safe for individuals with mild-moderate depression on little to no other medications
St. John’s Wort is a potent inducer of _______
CYP 3A4
*more than 50% of drugs are metabolized through CYP 3A4
List some other relevant information for St. John’s Wort?
- No better than conventional therapy, not indicated for major depressive disorder
- Similar side effect profile to conventional antidepressants
- Significant potential for drug interactions
- Efficacy for sure in ADHD and Anxiety is not robust, hence not generally recommended for these disorders as risk likely outweighs benefits
Proper name for SAMe?
S-adenosyl-L-methionine
What is SAMe?
a natural substrate in the human body (formed from homocysteine and 5-methylene tetrahydrofolate)