Schizophrenia 4 | Drug therapy: typical and atypical antipsychotics.

Question 1

AO1 What are typical antipsychotics and how do they work

Answer 1

Typical antipsychotics are the first generation of antipsychotic drugs They work primarily by acting as dopamine antagonists binding to dopamine D2 receptors and blocking their action which reduces positive symptoms like hallucinations and delusions

Question 2

AO1 Give an example of a typical antipsychotic and describe its effects

Answer 2

Chlorpromazine is a typical antipsychotic that reduces the action of dopamine It also has a sedative effect and is associated with reduced severity of positive symptoms in schizophrenia

Question 3

AO1 What are atypical antipsychotics and how do they work

Answer 3

Atypical antipsychotics are newer drugs developed to reduce side effects and target a wider range of symptoms They block dopamine receptors but also act on serotonin receptors helping to reduce both positive and negative symptoms

Question 4

AO1 Give an example of an atypical antipsychotic and describe its effects

Answer 4

Clozapine is an atypical antipsychotic that blocks both dopamine and serotonin receptors It is effective in treatment resistant cases and may improve both positive and negative symptoms like hallucinations and lack of motivation

Question 5

AO3 What is a strength of antipsychotic drugs in terms of effectiveness

Answer 5

Research supports the effectiveness of typical antipsychotics For example Thornley et al found chlorpromazine led to better overall functioning and reduced symptom severity compared to placebo

Question 6

AO3 What is a limitation of typical antipsychotics in terms of side effects

Answer 6

Typical antipsychotics can cause serious side effects such as extrapyramidal symptoms including tardive dyskinesia which may be irreversible and lead to reduced compliance with treatment

Question 7

AO3 Why might atypical antipsychotics be considered more beneficial than typical ones

Answer 7

Atypical antipsychotics like clozapine are more effective in treatment resistant cases and may treat both positive and negative symptoms by acting on both dopamine and serotonin receptors

Question 8

AO3 What is a limitation of the evidence base for antipsychotic effectiveness

Answer 8

Some research may be biased For example Healy noted that positive results are sometimes published multiple times and that side effects are underreported especially in industry funded studies

Question 9

AO3 What is a general limitation of drug therapy in treating schizophrenia

Answer 9

Drug therapy treats the symptoms not the root causes such as psychological or environmental factors meaning symptoms can return if medication is stopped and recovery may not be long term