Biological Therapies of Depression Flashcards
What are 2 different forms of biological therapies for depression?
- Drug therapy (chemotherapy)
2. ECT
What are the 3 main groups of antidepressants that proved to be successful when drugs were first developed?
- Monoamine-oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs)
- Tricyclic antidepressants
- Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
What are the 3 phases of biological therapies?
- Acute phase - treatment of current symptoms
- Continuation phase - 4-6 months
- Maintenance phase - for patients with a history of relapse.
What do monoamine-oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) do?
Block the action of the enzyme which breaks down noradrenaline and serotonin - increasing the availability of these in our nervous system to lift our mood.
What are 2 negative effects of monoamine-oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs)?
- Associated with potentially life threatening side effects e.g. a stroke - patients must be monitored closely.
- Many foods such as cheese, bananas, some fish, containe tyramine which reacts adversely with MAOIs - patients must restrict their diet.
What did Jarret find that supports monoamine-oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs)?
Found that they’re much more effecting in treating severe depression.
What form of MAOI has been recently introduced and what did Julien find about it?
A MAOI in skin patch form has been introduced which allows slow continuous absorption of the drug into the nervous system.
Julien - found that it’s less likely to produce risky food interactions as it goes in through the skin which stops food and the drug from reacting with each other.
What happens in a ‘normal’ brain?
In normal brains, serotonin and noradrenaline are released, stimulating the neighbouring cells, which are then reabsorbed into the nerve ending or broken down.
How do tricylics work?
Tricylics block the transporter mechanism that reabsorbs both serotonin and noradlenaline int the pre-synaptic cell after it has fired = more neurotransmitters are left in the synapse, prolonging their activity = more noradrenaline and serotonin available.
What are tricylics diagnosed for, how long do they take to work, how long are they usually taken for and what is their success rate?
Diagnosed for mild and severe depression, take 10-14 days to work, usually taken for 4-6 months and have a 60-65% success rate.
What are 5 side effects of tricylics?
- Constipation
- Dry mouth
- Sexual problems
- Blurred vision
- Potentially lethal in large doses
How do selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) work?
In a similar way to tricylics but instead of blocking the reuptake of many neurotransmitters, they block mainly the serotonin reuptake so there is more of it available.
What are 5 general side effects of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)?
- Nausea
- Headaches
- Sleeping difficulties
- Dry mouth
- Drowsiness
What is one dangerous side effect of selecritve serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)?
Some reports of extreme violence attributed to SSRIs, and 250,000 reported suicide attempts.
What did Ferguson find relating to SSRIs and suicidal thoughts?
Those treated with SSRIs were more likely to commit suicide. However this is a correlation, cause and effect can’t be established and suicide is often linked with depression anyway.