6 Antipsychotics and Mood Stabilizers Flashcards
What are some hypotheses for the causes of schizophrenia?
Dopamine
• DA receptors may be greater in schizophrenics
• Drugs that increase DA neurotransmission can induce psychosis
• Most antipsychotics block DA receptors
Serotonin (LSD, mescaline)
• 5HT receptors are altered in schizophrenics
• 5HT receptors mediate DA transmission
Glutamate (PCP, ketamine)
What are the “positive” symptoms of schizophrenia?
Hallucinations (auditory and visual) and delusions
Catatonic behavior, disorganized speech and thinking
Over-active dopamine pathways in limbic system (mesolimbic)
What are the “negative” symptoms of schizophrenia?
Affective behavior, apathetic, withdrawn, anti-social, lack of motivation, depressed
Under-active dopamine pathways in frontal cortex (mesocortical)
What happens to schizophrenics cognitively?
Distracted, disorganized thought, memory loss
What are the four dopamine pathways?
- Mesolimbic - VTA to limbic system (EMOTION)
- Mesocortical - VTA to frontal cortex (Cognition, emotion)
- Nigrostriatal - SN to striatum (Motor control)
- Tuberoinfundibular - Hypothalamus to pituitary (Prolactin)
MOA for “classical” antipsychotics
“Neuroleptics”
Block DA D2 receptors
Target the mesolimbic system
Alleviate the POSITIVE symptoms
MOA for “atypical” antipsychotics
Block 5HT-2a and DA receptors
Target the mesocortical and mesolimbic system
Alleviate both negative and positive symptoms
_______ receptors predominate in the mesolimbic region
DA D2
______ receptors are distributed in the mesocortical region
DA D4
DA D2 receptors predominate the ________ region while DA D4 receptors are distributed in the _________ region
Mesolimbic
Mesocortical
General effects of antipsychotics
Delayed onset - 6 weeks
Decrease aggression, restlessness, anxiety
Psychomotor function is slowed, initiative/motivation decrease
Reduce spontaneous movements
Sedation
Antiemetic (Prochlorperazine)
Most antipsychotics also block _______, _________, and ________ receptors in the brain and periphery
Muscarinic
Alpha-adrenergic
Histamine
Why is compliance usually poor with antipsychotics
Very common, not very pleasant side effects
Side effects of antipsychotics
Decreased seizure threshold
Endocrine - weight gain, increased prolactin secretion
Autonomic - anticholinergic sx, postural hypotension, sedation
Dental - xerostomia and bruxism (grinding teeth)
What are Extrapyramidal Symptoms (EPS)?
DA receptor antagonists also block DA receptors in the nigrostriatal pathway —> Parkinson’s like tremor, rigidity, dyskinesias, rocking, pacing, restlessness, anxiety, dystopia
Due to imbalance of striata DA and ACh
How do you treat Extrapyramidal Symptoms?
Anticholinergics such as benztropine (Cogentin) to restore ACh/DA balance
Degree of EPS a patient experiences is based on…
The anticholinergic activity of the antipsychotic drug (chlorpromazine vs. haloperidol)
Classical antipsychotics tend to cause more EPS than atypicals
Choreiform, uncontrollable, jerky movements of face and limbs, occurring in late disease following long term treatment
Tardive dyskinesia (15-25% of patients)
Difficult to treat, often irreversible - d/c drug
Which drugs are most likely to cause tardive dyskinesia?
Clozapine and Olanzapine
Life threatening side effect of antipsychotics —> muscle rigidity, hyperpyrexia, changes in BP and HR
Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome
Block of DA D2 receptors in the striatum and hypothalamus
How do you treat Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome?
Dantrolene (Dantrium)
Can also use DA agonists (bromocriptine) to stimulate DA receptors
What happens if you mix antipsychotics with anticholinergics?
Just more of the same side effects (dry mouth, urinary retention, constipation etc)