chapter 15 (drugs for treating schizophrenia, mood, & other disorders) Flashcards
psychiatric drugs
medications used to treat forms of mental illness.
psychotropic medication
an alternative term for psychiatric drugs.
biomedical model
the theoretical position that mental disorders are caused by abnormal biochemical processes in the brain.
antipsychotic drugs
medications used to treat symptoms of schizophrenia.
schizophrenia
major mental illness, characterized by the presence of hallucinations, delusions, irrational thinking, disorganized speech, and bizarre behaviour.
delusions
beliefs about thoughts, feelings, or actions that are erroneous and not based in reality.
positive symptoms
hallucinations or delusions that can occur in a schizophrenic individual.
negative symptoms
diminished emotional expression or avolition that can occur in a schizophrenic individual.
catatonia
symptoms displayed by some schizophrenic patients, characterized by a rigid, prolonged body posture.
disorganized symptoms
bizarre behaviour and disorganized and/or irrational speech that can occur in a schizophrenic individual.
typical antipsychotic drugs
a majority of available antipsychotic medications, all of which are associated with the possibility of parkinson’s-like side effects. first generation.
parkinson’s-like symptoms
side effects of typical antipsychotic drugs, involving a fixed facial expression and difficulty walking.
tardive dyskinesia
a serious side effect affecting about 10% of schizophrenic patients who have undergone chronic treatment with first-generation (typical) antipsychotic drugs. characterized by jerky movements of the face and lips, unsteadiness in walking, and rocking when seated.
neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS)
a life-threatening condition due to chronic antipsychotic use or rapid withdrawal from dopamine medication for parkinson’s disease.
atypical antipsychotic drugs
antipsychotic medications that, unlike earlier medications, do not produce parkinson’s-like side effects. clorazil, risperadal, zyprexa, zeldox, abilify.
agranulocytosis
potentially lethal blood disorder associated with antipsychotic drug clozapine. brand name clozaril.
catecholamines
family of neurotransmitters including dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine. they are all synthesized from the amino acid tyrosine inside neurons.
partial agonist
a drug that binds to a receptor but only with partial efficacy such that the presence of the neurotransmitter dictates the action of the drug. abilify is partial agonist at D2 receptors and differential effects depend on high or low concentration of dopamine.
MAO inhibitors
class of first-generation antidepressants that redue the effects of monoamine oxidase (MAO) in the brain, causing an increase in dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin concentrations.
monoamine oxidase (MAO)
an enzyme that breaks down dopamine, norepinephrine, or serotonin at their respective synapses in the brain.
tricyclic antidepressants
class of first-generation antidepressant drugs that act by blocking the serotonin and norepinephrine transporters. brand names: elavil and aventyl.
selective-serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
group of antidepressants that block the reuptake of serotonin from the synapse. ex: prozac, celexa, cipralex, paxil, zoloft.
serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs)
group of antidepressants that decrease the reuptake of serotonin and norepinephrine at synapses in the brain and have fewer side effects than tricyclic antidepressants. remeron, cymbalta, effexor.
mania
a mood disorder characterized by agitation, bursts of energy, and impulsiveness.
bipolar disorder
mood disorder in which the patient swings back and forth between feelings of depression and mania.
lithium carbonate
psychiatric drug used in the treatment of mania or bipolar disorder. requires frequent blood testing.
autism spectrum disorder
form of developmental disability, typically appearing during the first three years of life, that affects the normal development of the brain in areas of social communication and communication skills. autistic children and adults have difficulties in verbal and nonverbal communication and emotional responses.
off-label usage
the practice of prescribing the use of a particular medication, even if the drug in question has not been health canada-approved for that purpose.
deinstitutionalization
social policy of encouraging mentally ill individuals to be treated in community-based programs rather than in larger mental hospitals.
