Drug therapy

Question 1

What are antipsychotics?

Answer 1

Chemical treatment based on the dopamine hypothesis that treat schizophrenia by reducing the symptoms so that a degree of normal functioning can occur

Question 2

What are typical antipsychotics and how do they work?

Answer 2

• Treatment used to combat positive symptoms of schizophrenia
• Bind to dopamine receptors (D2 receptors) and block the stimulation of these receptors so that they can’t absorb dopamine which normalises neurotransmission

Question 3

What are atypical antipsychotics and how do they work?

Answer 3

• Treatment used to combat positive symptoms but also have benefits on negative symptoms
• They work on dopamine receptors, serotonin and glutamate receptors by temporarily occupying the D2 receptors which allows the dopamine to dissociate so receptors receive dopamine in smaller amounts

Question 4

What are examples of typical and atypical antipsychotics?

Answer 4

Typical - chlorpromazine
Atypical - Clozapine

Question 5

What are the 3 major differences between both drugs

Answer 5

Atypical drugs have lower risk of developing side effects such as tardive dyskinesia.

Atypical drugs have beneficial effect on negative symptoms

Atypical drugs are mostly used when typical drugs have failed on a patient

Question 6

Evaluate typical antipsychotics

Answer 6

Kapur et al estimated that around 60-70% of D2 receptors in the mesolimbic dopamine pathway must be blocked for typical antipsychotics to be effective. However this means D2 receptors from other areas of the brain must also be blocked to which can lead to side effects such as tardive dyskinesia

Question 7

Evaluate atypical antipsychotics