Pharmacology of antipsychotic agents Flashcards
All antipsychotics have some propensity to lengthen
QTc intervals but these vary widely
What are the four pathways for the dopaminergic system in the brain?
Nigrostriatal pathway, mesolimbic pathway, mesocortical pathway, tuberinfundibular pathway
What is the hypothetical function of the Nigrostriatal pathway?
Neurons start in the substantia nigra and project to to the striatum for control of motor function. The death of neurons in this pathway can result in Parkinson’s disease.
What is the hypothetical function of the Mesolimbic pathway?
Neurons project from the ventral tegmental area to the nucleus accumbens, amygdala, and hippocampus. They play a role in reward and desire, addiction, motivation, and emotional response. If not functioning properly they can cause hallucinations.
What is the hypothetical function of Mesocortical Pathway?
Neurons project from the ventral tegmental area to the prefrontal cortex. They are involved in memory and creation of memories. Amnesia and memory issues are a result of inappropriate functioning of this pathways.
What is the hypothetical function of Tuberinfundibular pathway?
Neurons start in the hypothalamus and project to the pituitary gland. They play a role in hormonal regulation, maternal behavior and nurturing, pregnancy, and sensory processes. malfunctioning of these pathways can cause hallucinations and interpersonal issues.
CAΨs
Conventional antipsychotics
What receptors do conventional antipsychotics affect?
non-elective dopamine receptor antagonism
What are the three categories of conventional antipsychotics?
phenothiazines, butyrophenones, and thioxanthines
Neuroleptic agents that affect a variety of receptors including dopaminergic receptor sites.
What are phenothiazines
Phenothiazides are used to treat…
psychosis including schizophrenia; violent agitated, disturbed behavior, and mania secondary to bipolar disorder.
Phenothiazides work by binding to
dopamine (D1 and D2), muscarinic, histamine H1, and serotonergic 5HT2 receptors.
Phenothiazides also possess peripheral
adrenergic receptor blockage and quinidine-like cardiac effects.
Phenothiazides may do what to seizure thresholds?
lower them
What are the signs of clinical toxicity in someone taking phenothiazides?
sedation, coma, hypotension, EPS, and cardiac arrythmias
What type of side effects can be seen with phenothiazides?
Anticholinergic effects including blurred vision, decreased GI motility, delirium, agitation, hallucination, hyperthermia, tachycardia, and seizures
Name 9 types of phenothiazides?
Chlorpromazine, fluphenazine, mesoridazine, perphenazine, prochlorperazine, promazine, thiridazine, Trifluoperazine and triflupromazine
This conventional antipsychotic group is similar to phenothiazides, though probably with less antiadrenergic, anti-histaminic and anticholinergic, and more anti-dopaminergic effects.
Butyrophenones
What are the nine types of Butyrophenones?
Haloperidol, Droperidol, Bromperidol, Benperidol, Tifluperidol, Melperone, Piamperone, Moperone, Fluanisone
This conventional antipsychotic is more selective D2 agonists and are used most often in children and adolescents. Their side effect profile is like other conventional antipsychotics but also includes restless leg syndrome.
Thioxanthenes
What are the seven types of thioxanthenes?
Flupentixol, thiotixene, zuclopenthixol, chlorprothixene, lucanthone, clopenthixol, hycanthone
What is a causative factor in the undesirable side effects in conventional antibiotics?
to block adequate numbers of D2 receptors in the mesolimbic dopamine pathway to quell positive symptoms, one must simultaneously block the same number of D2 receptors throughout the brain, and this causes undesirable side effects.
When dopamine D2 receptors in the tuberoinfundibular DA pathway are also blocked by conventional antipsychotics it can cause…
sedation, motor issues, increased plasma prolactin concentrations (hyperprolactinemia).
Hyperprolactinemia can cause conditions such as
galactorrhea (breast secretions), amenorrhea, and may interfere with fertility, demineralization of bones, gynecomastia, sexual dysfunction and weight gain
When dopamine D2 receptors in the nigrostriatal DA pathway are also blocked by conventional antipsychotics this causes
EPS such as akathisia, tremors, dystonia, parkinsonism, tardive dyskinesia
The blockade of histamine H1 receptors in conventional antipsychotic drugs causes
weight gain and drowsiness
The blockade of a1-adrenergic receptors in conventional antispsychotic drugs causes
cardiovascular side effects such as orthostatic hypotension and drowsiness
Low potency conventional antipsychotics require higher doses but
in addition low potency agents tend to have more of the unwanted side effects and are more sedating in general then high potency ones
AAΨ
Atypical Antipsychotics
What differentiates AAΨ from CAΨ in terms of effectiveness and side effects.
AAΨ have a clinical profile of equal positive symptom antipsychotic actions, but lo EPS and hyperprolactinemia compared to conventional
The current atypical antipsychotics as a class are defined as
serotonin-dopamine antagonists with simultaneous serotonin 5HT2A receptor antagonism that accompanies D2 agonism.
AAΨ have additional properties that are important such AS
antidepressant actions
All antipsychotics are effective for psychotic mania but atypical antipsychotics appear to have greater efficacy for
nonpsychotic mania
Which AAΨ has the best anecdotal and clinical evidence for utility in various anxiety disorders
quetiapine