Topic 2 - Biological Treatment of One Specific Disorder - Drug Therapy

Question 1

What do drug therapies aim to do?

Answer 1

Restore normal levels of neurotransmitter action.

Question 2

What is a well known form of drug treatment?

Answer 2

Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)

Question 3

How do SSRIs work?

Answer 3

By blocking the reuptake of serotonin by the pre-synaptic neurones. This results in a greater amount of serotonin within the synapse

Question 4

What happens when there is more serotonin in the synapse?

Answer 4

The increases the likelihood of sufficient serotonin reaching the post-synaptic receptor sites and triggering an electoral impulse to continue downtime neuronal pathway

Question 5

What are SSRIs used to treat?

Answer 5

Both depression and, increasingly, anxiety