Introduction to Psychopharmacology Flashcards
What is Psychopharmacology?
Interested in the relationship between PSYCHOLOGY (emotion, cognition etc.) & PHARMACOLOGY (the drug systems in the body).
The effects of drugs on psychology, particularly mood, sensation, cognition, and behaviour > an attempt to understand & manipulate mood, sensation, cognition, and behaviour but in terms of chemistry.
Focusing on the DRUGS in terms of how drugs affect the brain/psychology.
Goals of Psychopharmacology.
- Explaining psychological phenomena.
- Treating psychological dysfunction.
Shares same goals as psychology & pharmacology separately BUT uses different methods.
BROADER GOAL = to help with overall wellbeing & and to treat things that are of concern/which cause distress.
What methods (i.e., the TYPE/TECHNIQUE of manipulation being used) does Psychopharmacology use compared to Psychology & Pharmacology?
PSYCHOLOGY Methods = treat conditions using a behavioural approach (i.e., changing cognition).
PHARMACOLOGY Methods = treat conditions taking the chemical approach.
PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY Methods = using pharmacological mechanisms to treat psychological conditions.
Psychopharmacology & Mind/Body Duality (i.e., mental [psychological] vs. physical [biological/pharmacological].
Like with psychology, pharmacology can be mind and body.
Example: PAIN caused by hammer to the thumb > mental control of pain can effect the physical pain experienced by lessening the signal of pain travelling from the thumb to the brain via the nerves [i.e., MIND] OR the pain of the thumb effects one’s mental state (emotions, thoughts, sensations - their psychology) [i.e., BODY].
SO, BOTH psychological treatment & pharmacological treatment can treat either the local damage [i.e., BODY] OR treating the perception of it in the brain [i.e., MIND].
What are the 3 main neurotransmitters relevant to psychology?
- Serotonin [5-HT]
- Dopamine [DA]
- Norepinephrine [NE]/Noradrenaline [NA]
Each is associated with a range of psychological functions.
Each needs to be JUST RIGHT for psychological function - e.g., consider ‘BLISS’.
A big bunch of neurons that primarily use a particular neurotransmitter - e.g., serotonergic neurons [i.e., neurons that express 5-HT] = areas where there are big bundles of these neurons –> A neuron may create a neurotransmitter in its cell body > neuron transports it out through its projections & then a particular function occurs > neuron releases that neurotransmitter [e.g., 5-HT] somewhere else.
Serotonin [5-HT] is the most important neurotransmitter for?
Mood (historically & in modern context).
Serotonin [5-HT] is a main pharmacological treatment for what psychological conditions?
Anxiety & Depression.
These treatments/drugs affect our serotonergic system by increasing the amount of 5-HT available in the brain in order to try and make people happier.
Examples: Prozac, Zoloft, Tofranil.
Where are serotonergic cell bodies/neurons located?
The big bunch of 5-HT cell bodies are located in the RAPHE NUCLEUS.
i.e., the headquarters for the cell bodies of serotonergic neurons is in the BRAINSTEM AREA called the RAPHE NUCLEUS.
What are projections?
Projections = highways taking huge/small amounts of a neurotransmitter & releasing it in different parts of the brain.
There are projections from the Raphe Nucleus & the Serotonin cell bodies within the headquarters to different parts of the brain & Serotonin neurons have the opportunity to perform different functions depending on where it is delivered to. List the functions that 5-HT performs when projected to the: Frontal Cortex, Basal Ganglia, Limbic Areas, Hypothalamus, & Brainstem.
Frontal Cortex = 5-HT is most related to MOOD.
Basal Ganglia = 5-HT is most related to OBSESSIONS, COMPULSIONS, & MOVEMENT - problems with 5-HT here can lead to OCD & movement disorders.
Limbic Areas = 5-HT is most related to ANXIETY.
Hypothalamus = 5-HT is most related to APPETITE.
Brainstem = 5-HT is most related to INSOMNIA, NAUSEA, VOMITING, & SEXUAL DYSFUNCTION.
Dopamine [DA] is the most important neurotransmitter for?
Reinforcement - DA is part of the learning system to do with reward.
DA reinforces our desire to engage in behaviours that stimulate the ‘reward centre’ of the brain.
Example: if you engage in a behaviour that stimulates the reward centre of the brain [e.g., consuming drugs & alcohol] > the DA is important in making you remember that feelings & want it again > therefore, DA is part of the learning system to do with reward.
Dopamine [DA] is a main pharmacological treatment for what psychological conditions?
Schizophrenia.
Historically, most important treatment for SZ - when patients who have been catatonic for years have been given drugs that reduced DA function > they would engage more with the world –> these differences were dramatic & led to the first-line of modern ANTI-PSYCHOTICS.
Antipsychotics = drugs that reduce a particular aspect of DA function, in turn, greatly helping people.
What is Dopamine’s [DA] link to Drugs of Abuse?
NOT so much that DA makes you fell good in its own right, RATHER, DA reinforces our desire to engage in behaviours that stimulate the ‘reward centre’ of the brain.
Example: if you engage in a behaviour that stimulates the reward centre of the brain [e.g., consuming drugs & alcohol] > the DA is important in making you remember that feelings & want it again > therefore, DA is part of the learning system to do with reward.
Where are dopaminergic cell bodies/neurons located?
The big bunch of DA cell bodies are located in the:
1. SUBSTANTIA NIGRA and the
2. TEGMENTUM.
The Substantia Nigra & Tegmentum project primarily to a few areas BUT there are many smaller highways that take DA to many other places as well. Depending on where these projections are/where DA is delivered to, DA neurons have the opportunity to perform different functions. List the functions that DA performs when projected to the: Basal Ganglia, Nucleus Accumbens, & Frontal Cortex.
Basal Ganglia = DA is heavily implicated in MOVEMENT DISORDERS - [e.g., Parkinson’s Disease].
Nucleus Accumbens = DA is most related to an overall feeling of WELLBEING, but also PSYCHOSIS [i.e., beliefs that don’t really fit with the rest of the world’s idea of what’s going on].
Frontal Cortex = DA is most related to affecting HIGHER COGNITIVE FUNCTION - [e.g., selective attention - can be measured using the Stroop Test].
