biological approach - treatment Flashcards
how does the assumption of neurotransmitters apply to drug therapy?
- an imbalance of chemicals will lead to imbalanced behaviour, perception and emotions (mental illness)
- so biological psychologists would advocate drug therapy which aims to create balance in these neurotransmitters
how does the assumption of localisation of brain function apply to drug therapy?
- different areas of the brain are responsible for different functions
- for example, the limbic system is
responsible for regulation of emotions
- for example, the limbic system is
- drugs will target the part of the brain where the problem exists
what is the first component of drug therapy?
antipsychotic drugs :
- used to treat disorders with symptoms such as disordered thinking or hallucinations (schizophrenia)
- antipsychotics reduce the effect of neurotransmitter dopamine by blocking the receptor cells of the postsynaptic nerve
- this means less dopamine will be absorbed and stimulation of the nerves is reduced
what are atypical antipsychotics?
- more modern type of drugs founded in the 1990’s
- combat both the positive and negative symptoms of SZ
- they also bind to dopamine receptors but instead of permanently blocking dopamine action, they temporarily bind to the receptors then rapidly separate to allow normal dopamine transmission
what is the second component of drug therapy?
antidepressants :
- used to treat mood disorders such as depression
- e.g. selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRI’s) and Prozac
- these increase levels of neurotransmitter serotonin
- when neurotransmitters are released into the synapse, some cross the gap and are taken up, and there’s always a surplus which are taken back up into the presynaptic nerve end or broken down by enzymes
- SSRIs work by blocking the re-uptake, therefore making more available on the next firing
what is the third component of drug therapy?
anti-anxiety drugs :
- used to treat symptoms of anxiety disorders, e.g. phobias ans stress
- most widely used are called benzodiazepines, including valium
- BZs work by enhancing the activity of the body’s natural anxiety reliever (GABA)
- beta-blockers are another anti-anxiety drug
- they reduce the actions of adrenaline and noradrenaline by blocking their effect on the heart which slows the pulse and reduces blood pressure
what is the evaluation point of drugs VS placebo?
strength and weakness :
drug treatment is usually superior to no treatment or to a placebo
- Soomro et al (2008) reviewed 17 uses of SSRIs to treat OCD and found they were more effective in reducing symptoms up to 3 months after the treatment than a placebo
- Khan et al (1986) followed 250 patients being treated for anxiety and found that BZs were much more effective than a placebo
- however, these were only done over a 3-4 month period so it can’t be said the benefits were long term
what is the evaluation point of side effects?
weakness :
- some drugs have bad side effects and some lead to dependency
over time, drugs may lose their tolerance so patients have to take greater amounts to have the same effect
- e.g. some anti-psychotic drugs cause dry mouths and muscle tremors and the effects are sometimes permanent
- also, patients on valium may become addicted to them
- all this means drugs may not be appropriate for many patients, especially young patients
what is the evaluation point of treats the symptom not the cause?
weakness :
they don’t treat the cause of the problem, they only reduce the symptoms
- e.g. if the patient has depression because of childhood abuse, drugs will only provide a short term solution
- this means drug therapy is ineffective
- however, if they reduce the symptoms it could mean the patient is more able to access other forms of psychological therapy which may lead to a permanent cure
what is the evaluation point of comparison to other treatments?
strength :
- patients often welcome drug therapy as it is quicker, easier, cheaper and less threatening than talk therapy
what is the ethical issue of use of placebos in this study?
placebos are used as a control condition
- this means patients who receive the placebo are receiving inferior treatment
- this goes against research ethics as you are affecting a patients psychological well being
what is the ethical issue of patient information in this research?
valid consent
- patients should know what will be involved in their treatment, including side effects and effectiveness
- because we’re dealing with patients in poor mental states, they may not understand the information being given to them by doctors
- doctors might also exaggerate the benefits of medication as it’s easier treatment to offer
