Final Exam Flashcards - Psychology
4 Major Types of Anxiety Disorders
- Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
- Panic disorder
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Pharmaceutical Treatment of Anxiety Disorders
Drugs that affect the neurotransmitters:
- Y-aminobutyric acid (GABA)
- Serotonin (5-HT)
- Norepinephrine (NE)
Benzodiazepines
- Enhance binding of GABA
- Have a high degree of lipid solubility
- Common ending: “epam” & “olam”
3 Primary Types of Depression
- Major depression
- Bipolar Disorder
- Dysthymia
Major Depression
- AKA clinical depression
- Persistent feelings of sadness, emptiness, or hopelessness usually accompanied by fatigue, lack of interest, irritability, insomnia or hypersomnia, etc.
Bipolar Disorder
- AKA manic depressive disorder
- Associated with mood swings between depression and periods of mania
Dysthymia
-Produces symptoms that are similar to major depression; however, they are less severe
Biogenic Amine Theory
- Clinical depression results from a decrease in monoamine neurotransmitters in the brain, especially NE, Dopamine, and serotonin.
- In bipolar disorder, the manic phase is believed to be associated with increased levels of monoamine neurotransmitters
Tricyclic Antidepressants
-Block the reuptake of NE and 5-HT
ADR’s: Photosensitivity and cardiotoxicity
ADR’s Related to Blockade of Histaminic Receptors
- Sedation
- Weight gain
- Hypotension
ADR’s Related to Blockade of Muscarinic Receptors
- Dry mouth
- Blurred vision
- Constipation
- Urinary retention
- Confusion
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI’s)
- Selectively inhibit the reuptake of serotonin at the synaptic cleft
- Most widely prescribed antidepressants
- Equally effective as TCA’s, yet lack cardiotoxic effects
SSRI’s ADR’s
- Decreased appetite
- Nausea
- Agitation or anxiety
- Diarrhea
- Sexual dysfunction
- Suicide ideation
Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake inhibitors
-Inhibit the reuptake of 5-HT and NE
SNRI ADR’s
- Sedation
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Insomnia
- Dry mouth
- Increased BP
Norepinephrine Dopamine Reuptake Inhibitor (NDRI)
-Alternative to TCA’s; do not cause drowsiness
NDRI ADR’s
- Insomnia
- Headache
- Aggression
- Dry mouth
- Seizures
Drugs Used to Treat Bipolar Disorder
- Have anti-manic actions
- Lithium is the oldest
- Some drugs used for schizophrenia are also used for bipolar disorder
Lithium
- Used to reduce current symptoms of mania and depression
- Very Narrow TI drug
- Has long T1/2 which can double over the course of a year’s continuous therapy
Bipolar Drugs ADR’s
- Sedation or dizziness
- Nausea
- Ataxia
- Visual disturbances
Lithium may also cause:
- Increased urination
- Dry mouth
- Difficulty concentrating
- Tremors
Schizophrenia
- Chronic major psychosis that is characterized by delusions of thought, visual and/or auditory hallucinations
- Thought to be associated with excess dopamine levels
Treatment of Schizophrenia
-Drugs that block the transmission of signals in the dopaminergic system are used
Drugs Used to Treat Schizophrenia and Psychoses
- Neuroleptics
- Antipsychotics
Neuroleptics
-Classified and “typical” or “atypical”
Typical Neuroleptics
- Have a strong affinity for dopamine receptors and produce more side effects
- Classified as low, medium, and high potency
- Low: chlorpromazine
- Medium: fluphenazine
- High: haloperidol
Classes of Typical Neuroleptics
- Phenothiazines
- Butyrophenones
- Thioxanthines
Typical Neuroleptics ADR’s
- Sedation and confusion
- Weight gain/increased appetite
- Blurred vision
- Postural hypotension
- Hepatotoxicity
- Bone marrow suppression
- Photosensitivity
Atypical Neuroleptics
- Have a weaker affinity for dopamine and produce fewer side effects
- Clozapine and risperidone are prototypes
Atypical Neuroleptics ADR’s
- Sedation
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Hypotension
- Neutropenia
- Nausea
- Dry mouth
- Sexual dysfunction
Parkinson’s Disease
- Progressive disorder of the nervous system involving degeneration of dopaminergic neurons
- Symptoms associated with an imbalance of dopamine and acetylcholine
Treatment of Parkinson’s Disease
- Administering drugs that are synthesized to dopamine
- Promote the release of existing stores of dopamine
- Directly stimulate dopamine receptors
- Inhibit degradation of dopamine in the terminal neuron
- Anticholinergics to decrease acetylcholine
Alzheimer’s Disease
- A Neurodegenerative disease that causes memory loss and behavioral changes
- Plaques and tangles develop in the brain which interfere with the transmission of signals between neurons
Drug Treatment for Alzheimer’s Disease
- Increase ACh levels at the synapse
- Block glutamate activity at the NMDA receptor
Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitors
- Acetylcholinesterase is an enzyme that causes the breakdown of ACh
- AChE inhibitors increase the levels of ACh
N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor Inhibitors
-memantine blocks the actions of glutamate at the NMDA receptor sites
Alzheimer’s Drugs ADR’s
- Abdominal cramping
- Dizziness
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
- Sedation, tremors, hypotension
- Increased urination
- MI, erectile dysfunction, and suicide ideation (memantine)
