Anti- depressants

Question 1

What are anti depressants?

Answer 1

Drugs used to treat mood disorders. such as OCD/ eating disorder, chronic pain

Question 2

How do they differ rom stimulants?

Answer 2

Target brain not parasympathetic system

effect mood not arousal

mechanism of action

Question 3

Major depressive disorder is defined how?

Answer 3

Illness that affects how you feel think behave causing persistent feelings of sadness and loss of interest in previously enjoyable activiteies

Question 4

Major depressive disorders common denominator?

Answer 4

Monoamines

• serotonin (anxiety, obsession)
• norepinephrine ( alertness, attention, enjoyment)
• dopamines( motivation reward)

Question 5

What is the Permissive hypothesis?

Answer 5

Low serotonin causes low norepinephrine

dopamine needs to compensate by providing more precursors

Question 6

Best accounted for by what model?

Answer 6

Diathesis stress model

differences in serotonin/dopamine genes and/or schematics (engrained world views)

Question 7

Antidepressants
First generation

What was the problem?

Answer 7

Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors

Inhibit enzyme which breaks down monoamines (serotonin) at synapse (inhibit the inhibitor)

Cheese reaction - stops tyramine break down in liver –> tyramine elevates BP –> results in stroke
- Hard to give up alcohol and pizza- cant eat them due to fermentation

Triggered another irreversible disorder (Anxiety)

Question 8

What are tricyclics?

Answer 8

Block reuptake of serotonin and norepinephrine at synapse

problem: produce irregular or elevated heart rate

Question 9

Antidepressants second generation

Answer 9

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI’s)

Blocks reuptake of serotonin but NOT norepinephrine

Reduce the cardiologic side effect

Prozac: Not discovered, was designed

Question 10

Antidepressants Third generation

Answer 10

Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRI)

blocks reuptake of both serotonin and norepinephrine in brain

Question 11

Antidepressants other drugs
Sympathomimetic stimulants

What is the problem

Answer 11

Amphetamine-like substances

Problem: not antidepressants, euphoria

Question 12

Other antidepressants

Oxytocin

Answer 12

Hormone that rewards inter-personal behaviour

Still in experimental phases

Question 13

Other antidepressants

Heterocyclins

Answer 13

Serious negative secondary/side effects: last resort

Block reuptake of norepinephrine and serotonin
Block dopamine transporter protein (reuptake mechanism)

stimulate release of norepinephrine
-block post-synaptic histamine and acetylcholine receptors

Question 14

Heterocyclics problems

Answer 14

-Sever cardiovascular irregularities
-downregulation of Norepinephrine receptors
results in reemergence of depressive symptoms

• more toxic than other antid drugs

Question 15

Antidepressants:

Discontinuation syndrome is what?

Answer 15

The tendency for patients to suddenly (willingly) stop taking medication after 4 weeks, and results in symptoms
Brain shivers and numbing

No consistency with side effects

patients feel better so stop taking the drug?

Question 16

Does it equal withdrawl?

Answer 16

No

Question 17

Glucocorticoid or BDNF theory

Answer 17

Both theories state that stress induces release of cortisol (hormone) that atrophies the hippocampus, resulting in MDD

Best account for the environmental influence on the emergence of depression

Question 18

Glucocorticoid

Answer 18

Induces cortisol release
Problem: too much of this hormone is produced
Treatment : antagonizing glucocorticoid receptors

Question 19

BDNF

Answer 19

Facilitates neurogenesis (of the hippocampus)

Problem: too little of this chemical is produced

Treatment: increasing BDNF production through serotonin agonism