Antipsychotics cards

Question 1

What is psychosis?

Answer 1

Severe disturbance in brain function where perceptions are disrupted/dissociated from reality

Question 2

What are the symptoms of psychosis?

Answer 2

Hallucinations, delusion, suspicion, paranoia

Question 3

Psychosis is associated with…

Answer 3

disorganized behavior and difficulty in daily life

Question 4

What is schizophrenia?

Answer 4

A condition characterized by relapsing psychosis episodes often treatable with antipsychosis medication

Question 5

What are “positive symptoms” of schizophrenia?

Answer 5

Hallucinations, paranoia, delusions

Often treatable

Question 6

What are “negative symptoms” of schizophrenia?

Answer 6

Apathy, social withdrawal, inattentiveness

Usually occur later in disease, not easily treatable

Question 7

What drugs can induce psychosis?

Answer 7

Drugs that increase dopamine and serotonin levels in the brain

Question 8

What are examples of dopamine-elevating drugs?

Answer 8

Cocaine and amphetamine can cause hallucinations, both increase dopamine neurotransmission

Question 9

Hallucinogens like PCP (NMDA receptor antagonist) and LSD (5-HT2a agonist) support what?

Answer 9

The role of glutamate & serotonin imbalance in psychosis (both cause drug-induced psychosis)

Question 10

Glutamate and serotonin are ____ with DA neurotransmission in the _____.

Answer 10

Glutamate and serotonin are linked with DA neurotransmission in the cortex and limbic system

Question 11

What is the psychosis and dopamine hypothesis?

Answer 11

Since drugs that increase DA cause or aggravate psychosis, people with schizophrenia must have more DA receptors. Blocking DA receptors will cure psychosis.

Question 12

What is the issue with many antipsychotic drugs?

Answer 12

Blocking DA limbic synaptic activity helps alleviate positive symptoms but blocking DA cortex activity can make negative symptoms worse

Question 13

How do new antipsychotics better treat schizophrenia?

Answer 13

By having a higher affinity for 5-HT2a receptors over D2 receptors, DA transmission remains normal in the limbic and cortex system

Question 14

Antipsychotics are also called

Answer 14

Neuroleptic drugs

Question 15

Which 2 drugs are D2 antagonists?

Answer 15

Haloperidol and Olanzapine

Question 16

Haloperidol prioritizes antagonising…

Answer 16

D2 receptors over 5HT2a receptors

Question 17

Olanzapine prefers antagonizing…

Answer 17

5HT2a receptors over D2 receptors

Question 18

Why is olanzapine a better antipsychotic than haloperidol?

Answer 18

Olanzapine and haloperidol are both equally good at curing positive symptoms, but olanzapine does a better job at curing negative symptoms

Question 19

5HT2a antagonist also ____ glutamate release in the cortex

Answer 19

5HT2a antagonists also increase glutamate release in the cortex

Question 20

PCP causes…

Answer 20

Hallucinations and Psychosis

Question 21

Schizophrenia patients have _____ NMDA receptor expression and _____ PCP binding sites

Answer 21

schizophrenia patients have decreased NMDA receptor expression and increased PCP binding sites

Question 22

Some newer drugs are under investigation which _____ as a schizophrenia treatment

Answer 22

increase NMDA receptor activation or increase glycine levels

Question 23

What are the adverse effects of antipsychotics on the CNS?

Answer 23

Parkinson’s symptoms -> (D2 antagonism in striatum)
Hormonal dysregulation/weight gain -> (D2 antagonism in diencephalon)
Sedation (H1 and alpha1 antagonism)

Question 24

What are some autonomic adverse effects of antipsychotics?

Answer 24

Hypotension -> (alpha 1 receptor blockade)
Atropine-like side effects (dried mouth, blurred vision, constipation) -> muscarinic antagonist

Question 25

Why is compliance low on many antipsychotics?

Answer 25

Adverse effects can be severe, patients are mentally ill, co-administration of drugs can be complicated (most people with schizo tendencies are on more than 1 med)