Antidepressants & Mood Stabilisers Flashcards
What are the emotional symptoms of major depression?
Misery, apathy, pessimism
Low self-esteem, feelings of guilt or inadequacy, or suicidal thoughts
Indecisiveness, loss of motivation
What are the biological symptoms of major depression?
Disturbances of appetite, sleep, energy, libido, and psychomotor function
What important factors contribute to major depression?
Genes
Abuse or neglect in childhood
Prolonged excessive stress or traumatic events
Adverse social circumstances
General medical conditions (hypercortisolemia, and hypothyroidism)
Substances (Corticosteroids, interferons, and alcohol)
How common is depression?
20% of people experience it at least once in their lifetimes.
More women than men. (50% rate of recurrence following a single episode)
What percentage of depressed people experience suicidal thoughts?
10 - 15%
What percentage of people treated with antidepressants resond well?
2/3rds are treated adequately
What is mania?
Episodes of pathologically elevated or irritable mood of at least a week.
What are the symptoms of mania?
Associated characteristic symptoms and behavioural changes include decreased need to sleep, excitable speech and behaviour, grandiose ideas, disinhibition and poor judgement.
Which neurotransmitters influence mood and cause mood disorders?
serotonin, noradrenaline, dopamine, acetylcholine, glutamate, and GABA.
Which neurotransmitters are manipulated pharmacologically for treatment of depression?
Serotonin (5-HT) and noradrenaline
Why are NA and 5-HT targetted pharmacologically?
5-HT neurons from raphe nuclei and NA from locus ceruleus innervate many areas of the brain to control mood, alertness, appetite, sleep, pain perception, and other functions
What are the main antidepressant drugs being used?
SSRIs (sertraline, citalopram, escitalopram, etc)
Noradrenaline Reuptake Inhibitors (reboxetine)
Serotonin and NA reuptake inhibitors aka SNRIs (venlafaxine, duloxetine)
Moclobemide: Reversible inhibitor of monoamine oxidase A (RIMA)
Mirtazapine: noradrenergic and specific serotonergic antidepressant (NaSSA)
Buppropion: Noradrenaline dopamine reuptake inhibitor (NDRI)
Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs): desipramine, nortiptyline, amitriptyline, imipramine
Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs)
SNSMMBTM (pneumonic: Stay North; Sadness May Mean Bad Times, Mate)
Name some SSRIs:
sertraline, citalopram, escitalopram, paroxetine, fluoxetine, fluvoxamine
Name some NRIs:
riboxetine
Name some SNRIs:
Venlafaxine, duloxetine
Name some TCAs:
desipramine, nortriptyline, amitriptyline, imipramine
Which of the antidepressants are frontline? Which drugs are used if they don’t work?
SSRIs, SNRIs, mirtazapine (NaSSAs)
Used in a more niche targetted fashion: RIMAs, , NDRIs, NRIs
They are used before TCAs and MAOIs
Which front line drugs are used in a more niche targetted fashion?
Moclobemide (RIMA), Bupropion (NDRIs), NRIs
What do NA receptors do?
they activate alpha and beta receptors
What does alpha1 do to IP3 and DAG?
It increases their concentration
What does alpha2 do to cAMP?
It decreases it
What do beta receptors do to cAMP?
They increase it
What do 5-HT1A, B, D, E, F, and 5-HT5a do?
They decrease cAMP
What does 5-HT2A, B, C do?
They increase IP3 and DAG
What does 5-HT3 do?
activates ligand gated ion channels (stimulating action)
What do 5-HT4,6,7 do?
Increase cAMP
What do 5-HT1A and B do to serotonin nerve activity?
5-HT1A inhibit serotonin nerve activity by decreasing the firing of serotonin
5-HT1B inhibit serotonin nerve activity by inhibiting release of serotonin
What do TCAs do?
They block reuptake of NA, serotonin, and dopamine by binding to monoamine transporter at allosteric site decreasing its affinity for neurotransmitter
Why are TCAs not front-line therapy?
They produce toxic side effects and are difficult to use