therapies and management of schizophrenia

Question 1

what are the 3 categories of therapies for schizophrenia

Answer 1

drug therapy
cognitive behavioural therapy adapted for psychosis (CBTp)
family therapy

Question 2

what is the aim of antipsychotic drugs

Answer 2

to help the person function and increase their feelings of subjective well-being

Question 3

what tends to be the course of treatment for a person with schizophrenia

Answer 3

initially antipsychotics and then a combination of medication and psychological therapy

Question 4

what are the 2 types of drug therapy for sz

Answer 4

typical antipsychotics and atypical antipsychotics

Question 5

all antipsychotics work by reducing …. which is…

Answer 5

dopaminergic transmission which is reducing the action of the neurotransmitter dopamine in areas of the brain associated with the symptoms of schizophrenia

Question 6

what is an example of a typical antipsychotic

Answer 6

chlopromazine

Question 7

what is an example of an atypical antipsychotic

Answer 7

clozapine risperidone

Question 8

what do typical antipsychotics focus on treating

Answer 8

primarily to combat positive symptoms- products of an overactive dopamine system

Question 9

what happens to other D2 receptors in the brain when taking typical antipsychotics

Answer 9

they are also blocked which causes extrapyramidal effects (evaluation)

Question 10

what do atypical antipsychotics focus on treating

Answer 10

positive and negative symptoms and cognitive impairments

Question 11

what are the 3 things different about atypical antipsychotics compared to typical antipsychotics

Answer 11

they carry a lower risk of extrapyramidal side effects

have beneficial effect on negative symptoms and cognitive impairment.

they are suitable for treatment resistant patients.

Question 12

what is a benefit of atypical antipsychotics in general and specifically clozapine

Answer 12

because not all D2 receptors are inhibited
clozapine has very little effect on the dopamine systems tht control movement so tend not to cause the movement problems found with the typical antipsychotics

Question 13

how do atypical antipsychotics cause less extrapyramidal side effects

Answer 13

they only temporarily block the D2 receptors and then rapidly dissociate allowing normal dopamine transmission

Question 14

what else can be used to explain the differences between typical and atypical antipsychotics

Answer 14

typical blocks D2 receptors only whereas atypical have a stronger affinity for serotonin receptors and a lower affinity for D2 and so this explains the different effects of atypical compared to typical