16.3- Biomedical Therapies Flashcards
psychopharmacotherapy
the use of drugs to manage or reduce patients symptoms
psychotropic drugs
medications designed to alter psychological functioning
blood-brain barrier
network of lightly packed cells that allow only specific types of substances to move from the bloodstream to the brain in order to protect delicate brain cells agaisnt harmful infections and other substances
antidepressant drugs
medication designed to reduce symptoms of depression (type #1)
monaoxmine axidose inhibitors (MAOI’s)
which wake by deactivating monoamine oxidose, an enzyme that breaks down serotonin dopamine, and norepinephrine at the synaptic cleft of nerve cells (type #2)
tricyclic antidepressants
drugs that block the reuptake of serotonin and norepinephrine
selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI)
a class of antidepressants drug that blocks that reuptake of serotonin (AKA more serotonin will remain in the synapse)
mood stabilizer
drugs used to prevent or reduce the severity of mood swings experienced by people with bipolar disorder
lithium
one of the first mood stabilizers to be prescribed regularly in psychiatry: from the 1950’s to the 1980’s was the standard drug treatment of depression or B.P
(can be toxic to kidneys and endocrine)
anti-anxiety drugs
effect the activity of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) on inhibitory neurotransmitter that reduces neural activity
(reduce nervousness and tension, reduce panic attacks)
antipsychotic drugs
generally used to treat symptoms of psychosis, including delusions, hallucinations, and severely disturbed or disorganized thought
(common treatment for schizophrenia and prescribed to people with severe mood disorders)
condition resistent to traditional therapy approaches…
post traumatic stress disorder
post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
a common psychological illness involving reoccurring thoughts, images, and nightmares associated with a traumatic event- it prompts symptoms of tension and anxiety and can seriously interfere with many aspects of a persons life
possible treatment for PTSD
MDA (ecstasy) safe when used properly
tardive dyskinesia
movement disorder involving involuntary movements and facial ties (drug side effect)
atypical antipsychotics (second-generation antipsychotics)
less likely to produce side effects, including movement disorders (tardive dyskinesia) that commonly occur with first generation anti psychotics (affect dopamine and serotonin transmission)
frontal lobotomy
surgically serving the connections between different regions of the brain
leuocotomy
the surgical destruction of brain tissues in the prefrontal cortex
focal lesions
small areas of brain tissue that are surgically destroyed
(used when all other forms of treatment did not succeed- depression and anxiety) - last solution
electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)
passing an electrical current through the brain in order to induce a temporary seizure
(reserved for more severe disorders such as depression and bipolar disorder)
repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (RTMS)
therapeutic technique in which a focal area of the brain is exposed to a powerful magnetic field across several treatment seasons
deep brain stimulation (DBS)
technique that involves electronically stimulating specific regions of the brain
what is the process behind deep brain stimulation (DBS)
inserting thin electrode-tipped wires into the brain and carefully routing them to the targeted brain regions… produces instantaneous results, and seems to work on even severe cases of depression
