Biological Therapies

Question 1

What are the two main Biological Therapies used in the UK?

Answer 1

• Drug Therapy

- Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)

Question 2

What is ECT?

Answer 2

• ECT is a therapy which involves inducing convulsions by delivering brief electric shocks to the brain

Question 3

How does ECT work?

Answer 3

• It is not clear how it works, however it is though to improve symptoms by altering levels of the neurotransmitters serotonin and noradrenaline

Question 4

Research into ECT?

Answer 4

• Coffey et al (1991) say that those treated with ECT show no signs of brain damage at all, so it is deemed to be a safe treatment (but should only be used when alternative treatments such as drug therapy fail)
• Reid (2005) said that i rats shocks to the brain actually benefit survival of the brain cells through stimulating the production of a productive protein.

Question 5

What are the two types of drug therapy?

Answer 5

• Curative (they cure the problem)

- Palliative (they suppress the symptoms)

Question 6

Antidepressants are used to treat mod disorders such as depression, give an example of a drug and it’s effect on the body?

Answer 6

• Prozac (increases the level of a neurotransmitter called serotonin

Question 7

Anxiolytics reduce anxiety and include benzodiazaphines such as…

Answer 7

• Valium