Biological Therapies

Question 1

What are MAOIs?

Answer 1

Older drugs that inhibited activity of monoamine oxidase (enzyme that broke down neurotransmitters in the synaptic cleft).

• toxic side effects that require dietary requirements. Only used when others not working.

Question 2

What are TCAs?

Answer 2

Work in a similar way to MAOIs. Imipramine found to elevate mood of depressed schizophrenics, developed from there.

• side-effects include dry mouth, blurred vision, erectile dysfunction.

Question 3

What are SSRIs?

Answer 3

A more recent type of drugs that selectively inhibit the reuptake of serotonin.

Side effects include nausea, diarrhoea and sexual Dysfunction. However, less serious side effects and not fatal in overdose.

Question 4

What is lithium carbonate?

Answer 4

Used for bipolar disorder. Effective in both manic and depressive phases. Taken continually or mania occurs.

Not effective for unipolar, depression suggesting a difference in the two mood disorders.

Life threatening side affects.

Incorrect dosages lead to kidney damage and Failure.

Even low dosages lead to blurred vision and lack of coordination.

Question 5

Drug Treatment AO2?

Answer 5

• instantly increase neurotransmitter levels, symptom alleviation can take up to 12 weeks. implies something more.
• delayed alleviation and side-effects can cause people to discontinue antidepressants.
• Study found that depression was lifted in 50-70% of those on antidepressants compared to 40% in placebo group.
• Studies show that SSRIs are associated with suicidal urges.
• antidepressants only alleviate symptoms do not have an affect on the environmental cause or exogenous stressors (external cause of stress).
• cause and effect. Neurochemical imbalance could be caused by depression - paracetamol example.

Question 6

What is electroconvulsive therapy?

Answer 6

• Given anaesthetic and muscle relaxant to control physical side effects. Electrodes attached to temples. 70-150 volt shock given for up to a second, producing a convulsion. 6-9 treat,mets over 2-3 weeks. Only used on severely depressed who aren’t responding to drugs.

Question 7

ECT AO2?

Answer 7

• after treatment, nausea, confusion, headache. Unethical, distressing - can even be used against someone’s will.
• causes retrograde amnesia, and can’t recall events I’m,editable prior to ECT.
• don’t know why it works, probably changes neurotransmitters.
• found that successful ECT reduces blood flow in frontal temporal regions.
• Neuroimaging studies have found no evidence of structural brain change.