S3C8 (2.0) Flashcards
How do you treat acute psychotic episodes?
Short acting antipsychotics (e.g. Olanzapine)
Mood stabiliser for acute mania (e.g. Lithium, valproate, carbamazepine)
What is the first-line treatment for schizophrenia?
Second-generation antipsychotics (e.g. Olanzapine, risperidone, quetiapine)
Good at treating positive symptoms
What is the treatment for schizophrenia for patients with poor adherence?
First-generation antipsychotics in depot form (e.g. Fluphenazine, haloperidol, chlorpromazine)
When should clozapine be given to patients?
For treatment resistant schizophrenia
Persistent positive symptoms despite trials lasting over 6 weeks of 2 different antipsychotics at their maximum doses
What are all antipsychotics?
Reversible antagonists at D2 dopamine receptors
What is the threshold for antipsychotic efficacy?
65% D2 receptor occupancy
What is the D2R occupancy patterns for resperidone and olanzapine?
Relatively sustained over 24 hours.
What are the adverse effects of D2 antagonism?
Nigrostriatal motor pathway – Extrapyramidal side effects (EPSE) – Parkinsonism.
Mesolimbic pathway – excessive blockade leads to worsening of the negative symptoms.
Mesocortical pathway – may exacerbate low dopamine, leading to deterioration in cognitive function.
Tuberoinfundibular pathway – hyperprolactinaemia secondary to antipsychotics.
At what efficacy to D2 antagonism side effects occur?
> 72% D2 receptor occupancy
What does 5-HT2A receptor blockade result in? (schizophrenia)
Decreased risk of extrapyramidal symptoms, likely by increasing dopamine release from the frontal cortex, and not the nigrostriatal tract
What is the MOA for risperidone?
Blockade of D2 receptors in the ventral striatum, alleviating positive symptoms of schizophrenia.
Blockade of 5-HT2receptors in the mesocortical tract, causes an excess of dopamine, resulting in an increase in dopamine transmission, and an elimination of core negative symptoms.
What are the side effects of risperidone?
Hypotension Weight gain Rash Vomiting Constipation
What is clozapine?
Atypical antipsychotic
What are the side effects of clozapine?
Sedation
Hunger
Hypersalivation
Diabetes
What is the main psychoactive substance in cannabis?
Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)
What does smoking cannabis lead to?
Decreased BP
Bloodshot eyes
Feeling dizzy
Increased appetite
What are the types of cannabinoid receptors?
CB1 receptors – mediate most effects of cannabinoids on the CNS (also in the lungs, liver and kidneys).
CB2 receptors – found in the PERIPHERY and are expressed mainly in the immune system and in hematopoietic cells.
What is the role of CB1 receptors?
These are involved in physiological processes such as appetite, pain-sensation, mood and memory.
These receptors are responsible for the euphoric and anticonvulsive effects of cannabis.
What are cannabinoid receptors activated by?
Plantcannabinoids – THC – through the production of an endocannabinoid (a ligand known as anadamide)
Endocannabinoids (produced by humans)
What is the MOA of THC?
Increases the release of dopamine in the brain.
This causes stimulation of the D2 dopamine receptors in the striatum.
This causes an increase in the formation and release of a ligand called anandamide.
Anandamide activates cannabinoid receptors.
This leads to the euphoria.
What is the role of endocannabinoids?
Used in retrograde signalling between neurons, in to temporarily reduce the amount of conventional neurotransmitter released
Where are endocannabinoids produced?
Post-synaptic GABA neurons
Their production is Ca2+ dependent
What is the anticonvulsive MOA of endocannabinoids
Intense firing of corticostriatal neurones leads to release of glutamate which causes as influx of Ca2+ ions in the post-synaptic membrane.
Constant glutamate release causes Ca2+ ions to build up in the post-synaptic membrane.
This accumulation causes Ca2+ ions to synthesise endocannabinoids in the medium-sized striatal spiny neurones.
These stimulate CB1 receptors on the pre-synaptic corticostriatal fibres leading to a decreased release of glutamate.
What is patient compliance?
The extent to which a person’s behavior coincides with the medical advice he/she has received
adhering to < 70% of prescribed medication during the last week