Schizophrenia and depression

Question 1

What are the symptoms of schizoprenia?

Answer 1

Positive: Delusions, auditory hallucinations
Negative: Withdrawal, flattened mood

Question 2

What are thought to be the causes?

Answer 2

1) Overactivity of dopamine systems, in the mesolymbic/cortical system

From the ventral tegmentum to the frontal cortex, nucleus accumbens, olfactory areas, ventrial striatum

2) decrease in glutamate

Question 3

What drugs are used to treat schizophrenia?

Answer 3

Chlorpromazine - mainly on positive symptoms. tricyclic antidepressents - dopamine antagonist - anti-muscarinic side-effects

Haloperidole - dopamine antagonist. mainly on positive symptoms.

Clozapine - functions on both positive and negative symptoms. side-effects depletes neutrophils

Question 4

How many dopamine recpetors are there and what are the differences?

Answer 4

D1 and D5 - increase cAMP in striatum
D2 - decrease cAMP in striatum
D3-D4 decrease cAMP in the limbic system

Question 5

What dopamine receptors do chlorpromazine target?

Answer 5

D2 and D4

Clozapine has a 10 fold higher affinity for D4

Question 6

What do monoamine oxidase inhibitors do.

Answer 6

monoamine oxidase A inhibitor prevents the breakdown of serotonin and noradrenalin
MAOb - prevents the breakdown of dopamine

Question 7

Catechol-o-methyl transferase

Answer 7

Breaks down monoamines

Question 8

Name the classes of anti-depressants and give an example.

Answer 8

Tricyclics - amitriptyline
MOA - phenelzine
SSRI - fluoxetine, citalopram

Question 9

What is the main treatment for manic depression?

Answer 9

Lithium carbonate - stabilises both the depression and mania