Drugs and mental health

Question 1

What are 3 classes of drugs used to treat depression?

Answer 1

SSRIs, TCAs, MAOIs

Question 2

What are two classes of drugs used to treat anxiety?

Answer 2

SSRIs and benzodiazepines

Question 3

Give 5 disorders covered by anxiety?

Answer 3

1. Panic disorder
2. Obsessive compulsive disorder
3. Generalised anxiety disorder
4. Social anxiety disorder
5. Phobias

Question 4

What are anxiety reducing drugs called?

Answer 4

Anxiolytics

Question 5

Which class of anxiolytics also has anticonvulsant activity?

Answer 5

Benzodiazepines

Question 6

What do benzodiazepines selectively act on?

Answer 6

GABA a receptors

Question 7

Give 5 effects of benzodiazepines?

Answer 7

1. Reduction in anxiety
2. Sedation
3. Reduction in muscle tone and coordination
4. Anticonvulsant
5. Anterograde amnesia.

Question 8

What does MDD (major depressive disorder) result in?

Answer 8

Sad depressive mood every day for minimum 2 weeks and a loss of pleasure as well as 4 of the following:

• Disruption of appetite, sleep, concentration
• Loss of energy, fatigue
• Negative self-concepts
• Recurret thoughts of death, suicide
• Reactive of endogenous

Question 9

What is the biogenic amine hypothesis of depression?

Answer 9

Decreased amine levels in the brain (NA, 5-HT and DA)

Question 10

Give 4 SSRIs

Answer 10

1. Fluxetine
2. Citalopram
3. Paraxetine
4. Sertraline

Question 11

What is the therapeutic delay for all antidepressants?

Answer 11

2+ weeks

Question 12

Where do most 5-HT neurons in the CNS have soma?

Answer 12

In the raphe nuclei (have 5-HT1A receptors on dendrites and soma), midbrain and medulla

Question 13

Where do most 5-HT neurons send their axons?

Answer 13

Limbic areas in the forebrain

Question 14

How many potential susceptibility genes are there for schizophrenia?

Answer 14

20

Question 15

Give 3 characteristics of positive schizophrenia symptoms?

Answer 15

1. Hallucinations
2. Delusions
3. Innapropriate emotions and actions

Question 16

Give 4 characteristics of negative schizophrenia symptoms?

Answer 16

1. Apathy
2. Depression
3. Social incompetence
4. Loss of insight.

Question 17

What are hallucinations and delusions associated with?

Answer 17

The mesolimbic pathway

Question 18

What is the dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia?

Answer 18

Disregulation of dopamine neurotransmission, hyperactive dopamine system.

Question 19

Give 2 typical antipsychotics

Answer 19

1. Haloperidol

2. Chlopromazine

Question 20

Give 2 atypical antipsychotics

Answer 20

1. Quetiapine

2. Clozapine

Question 21

What do antipsychotics owe their therapeutic effects to?

Answer 21

Blockade of D2 receptors

Question 22

Give 2 negative effects of using atypical antipsychotics

Answer 22

1. Parkinson’s-like symptoms

2. Tardive dyskinesia.

Question 23

Give two endocrine effects of antipsychotics.

Answer 23

1. DA in hypothalamus acts as release inhibiting factor for prolactin, increasing prolactin plasma concentration
2. DA controls other hormones, cause a decrease in growth hormone.