Biological Treatments for Mental Disorders

Question 1

The most common biological treatment is medication, which alters…

Answer 1

-productions or responses to neurotransmitters in the brain

Question 2

What are the common classes of drugs prescribed for mental disorders?

Answer 2

• antipsychotics
• antidepressants
• antianxiety (tranquilizers)
• lithium carbonate

Question 3

Antipsychotic drugs are used primarily in the treatment of…

Answer 3

-schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders

Question 4

How do antipsychotics effect the brain?

Answer 4

-block or reduce sensitivity of receptors that respond to dopamine

Question 5

Psychoses are thought to be caused by…

Answer 5

-excess of dopamine

Question 6

Some antipsychotics also increase the level of serotonin, which…

Answer 6

-inhibits dopamine activity

Question 7

Antipsychotics only reduce symptoms of…

Answer 7

• delusions, hallucinations, agitation

- shorten schizophrenic episodes

Question 8

Some side-effects of antipsychotics include…

Answer 8

• tremors, muscle rigidity, extreme weight gain

- strokes, sudden heart failure

Question 9

Antipsychotics have not been proven effective for ______ usage.

Answer 9

-off-label

Question 10

Antidepressants are primarily used in the treatment of…

Answer 10

-depression, anxiety, phobias, OCD

Question 11

Function: monamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI’s)

Answer 11

• elevate levels of norepinephrine and serotonin

- by inhibiting or blocking an enzyme that deactivates these neurotransmitters

Question 12

Function: tricyclic antidepressants

Answer 12

• boost levels of norepinephrine and serotonin

- by preventing reuptake of these neurotransmitters

Question 13

Function: selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI’s)

Answer 13

• boost serotonin levels

- by preventing reuptake of serotonin

Question 14

Define: reuptake

Answer 14

-normal absorbtion

Question 15

Side-effects of antidepressants include…

Answer 15

-dry mouth, headaches, constipation, nausea, gastro-intestinal problems, weight gain, decreased sexual desire or orgasm

Question 16

MAOI’s have most dangerous risks because…

Answer 16

-they interact with certain foods, and can elevate blood pressure to dangerous levels

Question 17

Function: antianxiety drugs (tranquilizers)

Answer 17

-increase activity of GABA

Question 18

Tranquilizers are supposed to be used for…

Answer 18

• acute anxiety attacks

- only temporarily

Question 19

Some issues with taking tranquilizers include…

Answer 19

-overusage, withdrawal, tolerance, immediate return of symptoms when medication stops

Question 20

_______ are sometimes used for acute anxiety, but are not approved for it.

Answer 20

-beta-blockers (slower heart rate, lower blood pressure)

Question 21

Lithium is used for…

Answer 21

-treatment of bipolar disorder

Question 22

Lithium functions in the brain by…

Answer 22

• moderating levels of norepinephrine

- protecting brain cells from being over-stimulated by glutamate

Question 23

Possible side-effects of lithium include…

Answer 23

• tremors (short-term)

- kidney damage (long-term)

Question 24

Define: publication bias

Answer 24

-tendency for journals to publish positive findings rather than negative or ambiguous ones

Question 25

What are 6 major cautions when thinking about drug treatment?

Answer 25

• the placebo effect
• high relapse and dropout rates
• disregard for more effective, non-medication treatments
• untested off-label usage
• unknown risks of long-term uses/combinations

Question 26

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is…

Answer 26

-a procedure used in cases or prolonged and severe depression, in which a brief brain seizure is induced

Question 27

What is another experimental, and another riskier method for direct brain intervention?

Answer 27

• transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)

- deep brain stimulation (DBS)