Medications

Question 1

Benzodiazepines and Anxiety

Answer 1

• Relieve anxiety
• Act on the GABAA receptor, enhancing the inhibitory effects of GABA in the brain, particularly in areas like the amygdala, hypothalamus, and midbrain
• Prolonged use increases risk of addiction

Question 2

Antidepressant medication types:

Answer 2

• Tricyclics
• Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)
• Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs),
• Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs)
• Atypical Antidepressants

Question 3

Tricyclics

Answer 3

Block the reabsorption of neurotransmitters like serotonin, causing their longer presence in the brain

Question 4

SSRIs

Answer 4

(ex. Prozac and Zoloft) Focus on serotonin, with milder side effects than tricyclics

Question 5

SNRIs

Answer 5

(ex. Cymbalta and Effexor) Block both serotonin and norepinephrine

Question 6

MAOIs

Answer 6

(ex. Nardil) Increase the availability of neurotransmitters by blocking an enzyme

Question 7

Atypical antidepressants

Answer 7

(ex. Wellbutrin) Inhibit the reuptake of dopamine and, to some extent, norepinephrine

Question 8

St. John’s Wort

Answer 8

• Herbal remedy that can have antidepressant effects
• Can interact with other medications, altering their effectiveness

Question 9

How might we explain why drugs generally do not improve mood for people not suffering from depression?

Answer 9

• Individuals without depression have regular activity of the targeted neurotransmitters, so antidepressants do not usually result in noticeable changes
• Side effects might be undesirable for people who do not need the medication (ex. sleep and eating changes)