psychopharmacology Flashcards
Chronic and relapsing disease state characterized by compulsive use of a substance despite harmful or negative consequences to the user.
addiction
Uncomfortable, harmful, unexpected, or emergent reactions to a drug.
adverse effects
The strength of interest or attraction a drug has for a particular receptor.
affinity
A drug that combines with a specific receptor to initiate the same reaction as that of a naturally occurring substance.
agonist
A drug that combines with a specific receptor to inhibit or block a biochemical response.
antagonist
(BBB) A three-wall barrier that serves to isolate brain circulation from systemic circulation and governs the quality of and rapidity with which substances in the blood penetrate into the brain.
blood brain barrier
System that contains metabolic liver enzymes that greatly influence how the body responds to medication, medication sensitivity, drug-drug or drug-food interaction, and how much of a medication the body receives.
cytochrome P450 system
The body’s physical need for a specific substance; cessation (abruptly stopping) use of a substance can result in withdrawal syndrome.
dependence
The ability of a drug to produce the desired response.
efficacy
There is a reciprocal relationship between dopamine and acetylcholine in the nigrostriatal dopamine pathway in the basal ganglia. As dopamine is blocked on the nigrostriatal pathway, there can be an acetylcholine surge, resulting in
extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS)
The time it takes a drug to journey from metabolism to excretion, eliminating 50% of the drug from the body.
half-life
A process in which cerebral voltage channels become overexcited and overfire, resulting in excesses of neurotransmission.
kindling
The drug molecule that binds to the receptor.
ligand
The products of the enzymatic breakdown of medications; typically far less chemically potent than the original drug.
metabolites
A rare but potentially life-threatening neurological response to medications that can occur at any point in treatment; symptoms include an alteration in sensory process, cognitive changes that may look like delirium, hyperthermia, hyperreflexia, muscle rigidity, autonomic instability, hypotension, tachycardia, tachypnea, diaphoresis, and sialorrhea.
neuroleptic malignant syndrome
The way medications affect the body.
pharmacodynamics
The way the body processes medications.
pharmacokinetics
The clinical application of medications to brain circuit and neurotransmitter-receptor dysfunction.
pharmacotherapeutics
The amount (dose) of the drug necessary to produce the desired response.
potency
the disruption is caused by the antipsychotic medication blockade of dopamine in the basal ganglia, resulting in acetylcholine increases.
pseudoparkinsonism
The study of the use of medications in the treatment of psychiatric-mental health disorders and conditions.
psychopharmacology
A protein molecule (on the postsynaptic neuron) that receives and responds to a neurotransmitter ligand, a drug ligand (or medication), or other substances such as hormones and antigens.
receptor
Medications designed to block these presynaptic transporters
reuptake inhibitors
A constellation of symptoms caused by an excess of serotonin; symptoms include agitation, sweating, fever, tachycardia, hypotension, rigidity, and/or hyperreflexia.
serotonin syndrome
Symptoms that occur when a medication produces additional actions by interacting with neurotransmitters other than those at the target site.
side effects
State achieved in about five half-lives of a medication, when the amount of a medication being taken equals the amount leaving the body.
steady state
A movement disorder characterized by involuntary, repetitive movements, often associated with neuroleptic therapy and advanced age.
tardive dyskinesia
Reduction or improvement in symptoms that occurs when a medication reaches the target site and produces the desired effect; the expected or intended response to a medication.
target effects
An extreme adverse effect that disturbs the development of an embryo or fetus.
teratogenic effect
The range at which therapeutic efficacy can be achieved without risking harm to the patient.
therapeutic range
Occurs when increasing amounts of the substance are required to achieve the same effect.
tolerance
The concentration of the amount of drug in the body that is harmful to an individual.
toxicity
