Drug therapy

Question 1

Assumptions applied to therapy

Answer 1

The biological approach assumes psychological disorders have a psychological cause. (Medical model)
Therefore, they can be treated in a physical way.
A patient should be treated by manipulating their physical bodily processes.
Changes in neurotransmitter levels will affect our mood, feelings and behaviour.
Biological therapies can be used to alter the action of neurotransmitters in the brain to treat mental illnesses.
Drug therapies increase or block the action of certain neurotransmitters, influencing our emotions, thoughts and actions.
Localisation of brain function:
Drugs target specific areas of the brain involved with the disorder.

Question 2

Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS)

Answer 2

When you’re scared, your sympathetic nervous system is aroused, allowing you to deal with a potentially dangerous situation.
This is called the fight or flight response.
When you’re scared, your body produces noradrenaline which creates the physiological symptoms you experience.
E.g. heart beating rapidly, sweating and your mouth going dry.
These responses are adaptive for stress responses that require an energetic behavioural response, but the stressors of modern life rarely require such levels of physical activity.

Question 3

Conventional antipsychotics

Answer 3

Used to combat positive symptoms.
Those that reflect an excess or distortion of normal functioning.
(Delusions and hallucinations)
These drugs block the action of dopamine by binding to but not stimulating dopamine receptors.

Question 4

Atypical antipsychotics

Answer 4

Combats positive symptoms but there are also claims that they help negative symptoms. (Speech disturbances)
They work by only temporarily occupying dopamine receptors before rapidly dissociating allowing normal dopamine transmission.
These drugs have lower levels of side effects compared to conventional antipsychotics and are more commonly prescribed.

Question 5

Beta Blockers (BBs)

Answer 5

They bind to receptors on the cells of the heart and other body parts stimulated during sympathetic arousal.
By blocking the receptors it is harder to stimulate these cells so the heart beats slower.
This results in less stress on the heart so the person feels calmer and less anxious.

Question 6

Benzodiazepines (BZs)

Answer 6

They slow down the activity of the central nervous system.
They enhance the activity of GABA.

Question 7

GABA

Answer 7

A neurotransmitter that is the body’s natural form of anxiety relief.

Question 8

Antidepressants

Answer 8

Depression is believed to be due to insufficient amounts of neurotransmitters in the synapse.
During normal functioning, neurotransmitters are constantly released, simulating neighbouring neurons.
To terminate their action, neurotransmitters are reabsorbed into nerve endings and broken down by enzymes.
Anti-depressants either: Reduce the rate of reabsorption
Block the enzyme that breaks down the neurotransmitter, increasing the amount of neurotransmitter available to excite neighbouring cells.

Question 9

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)

Answer 9

Most commonly prescribed antidepressant in the UK.
The side effects of SSRIs are generally easier to cope with than the side effects from other types of antidepressants.
They work by blocking the transporter mechanism that reabsorbs serotonin.

Question 10

Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs)

Answer 10

They work by making it harder for an enzyme (monoamine oxidase) that breaks down noradrenaline and serotonin to do its job, causing these chemicals to stay active in the body for longer.
They can have dangerous interactions with some kind of food.
You’re not likely to be prescribed a MAOI unless you’ve tried all other types of antidepressants and none of them have worked.

Question 11

Soomro et al

Answer 11

A study that looked at 17 studies comparing SSRIs to placebos for the treatment of OCD.
SSRIs were found to be more effective in reducing symptoms up to three months after treatment.

Question 12

Kahn et al

Answer 12

A study that found in 82% of the 250 patients he followed, Bzs were superior to placebos.
This study is short term and doesn’t reflect long term comparisons.

Question 13

Side effects of SSRIs

Answer 13

Nausea
Headaches
Insomnia

Question 14

Side effects of tricyclic antidepressants

Answer 14

Hallucinations
Irregular heartbeat

Question 15

Symptoms not cause

Answer 15

Drug therapies can be effective in treating the symptoms of psychological disorders, but they don’t treat the underlying cause.
This could lead to a “revolving door syndrome” where the patient is never fully treated.

Question 16

Vaughn and Leff (1976)

Answer 16

Found that for those living in a hostile environment, the relapse rate for those taking antipsychotic medication was 53% compared to 92% when taking a placebo.
However, for those living in a supportive environment with antipsychotics, 12% relapsed compared to 15% in the placebo condition.

Question 17

Use of placebos

Answer 17

No patient should be given a treatment known to be inferior.
If effective treatments exist, they should be given as the control condition when new treatments are tested.

Question 18

Patient information

Answer 18

Valid consent may not always be possible.
Patients may find it hard to remember all the information relating to potential side effects.
Or they may not be in the frame of mind to digest this information.
Medical professionals may withhold some information about the drugs being tested:
Some may exaggerate the effects. Some may not inform of alternatives.

Question 19

Other treatments

Answer 19

Drug therapy is cheap for patients in the UK because of the NHS.
Practitioner invests less time.
It’s easier for the practitioner to sign a prescription for drugs compared to setting them up with other treatments.
Efficient and easy to administer.