Depression

Question 1

What is bipolar disorder characterised by?

Answer 1

Excessive exuberance, enthusiasm and self-confidence combined with irritability, impatience and agression

Question 2

What are typical symptoms of depression?

Answer 2

Low mood (anhedonia)
Negative thoughts
Irritability
Apathy- loss of interest in daily activities
Severe loss/gain of weight
Low self-esteem

Question 3

What brain regions are associated with depression?

Answer 3

Increased neuronal activity
Amygdala (associated with emotions)
Hippocampus (memory and learning), less DBNF transcription factor which is related to CREB transcription factor

Question 4

What is postnatal depression?

Answer 4

Depression occurring 2-8 weeks after delivery which can stay after a year
Linked to epigenetic changes in the newborn due to unusual interactions with the mother

Question 5

What treatments are there for depression?

Answer 5

Counselling in combination with antidepressants:
NA and 5-HT uptake blockers

Question 6

What are some side effects of anti-depressants?

Answer 6

Urinary retention
Sedation

Question 7

How can neurodegeneration be triggered in depression?

Answer 7

Less BDNF/TrkB transcription factors in the hippocampus
NDMA neurodegeneration from overactivation in depression

Question 8

How did patients treated with reserpine develop depression?

Answer 8

Reserpine depletes monoamine neurotransmitter vesicles

Question 9

How do tricyclic antidepressants work as antidepressants?

Answer 9

Target serotonin transporters
Block uptake of monoamines

Question 10

What sort of drug is iproniazid?

Answer 10

MAO inhibitor

Question 11

What sort of drug is fluoxetine?

Answer 11

SSRI

Question 12

What are some side effects of MAO inhibitors?

Answer 12

MAOs accumulate in the brain
Postural hypotension
Tyramine promotes NA, leading to a hypertension from an uncontrolled activation of sympathetic nerves

Question 13

What are anticholinergic side effects caused by tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs)?

Answer 13

mAch
Blurred vision
Dry mouth
Constipation

Question 14

What does noradrenaline stimulate?

Answer 14

Arousal/attention
Mood
Blood pressure increases

Question 15

What are serotonergic pathways associated with in depression?

Answer 15

Regulating limbic processing which relates to anhedoma (inability to gain pleasure from normally pleasurable experiences)
Hallucinations, sleep mood, body temperature

Question 16

What happens when SSRIs are first used?

Answer 16

Depression gets acutely worse, then becomes desensitised after 6 weeks. Neurotransmitter production increases
BDNF stabilises synapses

Question 17

How does lithium work as a treatment for bipolar disorder?

Answer 17

Regulates activity of overactive neurons
Permeates voltage-gated Na channels which inhibits inositol monophosphate, AKT signalling and glycogen synthase