Unipolar Depression: One Biological Treatment (Drugs)

Question 1

what is an example of first generation antidepressants

Answer 1

Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs)

Question 2

How do monoamine oxidase inhibitors work (MAOIs)

Answer 2

after neurotransmission, serotonin molecules get reabsorbed by presynaptic cell and broken down.

Question 3

What breaks down monoamine oxidase inhibitors

Answer 3

enzyme called monoamine oxidase.

Question 4

How do these drugs (MAOIs) produce more serotonin

Answer 4

the inhibitors block the enzyme so that more serotonin can be released in the future.

Question 5

What other neurotransmitters does this drug (MAOIs) work on

Answer 5

all monoamine neurotransmitters

Question 6

what are some side effects of MAOIs

Answer 6

headaches
insomia
dry mouth

Question 7

What is an example of a second generation antidepressant

Answer 7

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)

Question 8

How does selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) work

Answer 8

SSRIs block serotonin transporter, so serotonin cannot be recycled and remains in the synapse.

Question 9

SSRIs: what the role of a serotonin transporter

Answer 9

protein that helps with serotonin reuptake

Question 10

What does the blocking of the serotonin transporter lead to? (SSRIs)

Answer 10

Prolonged effect of the antidepressant

Question 11

What are some side effects of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors? (SSRIs)

Answer 11

Blurred vision
Loss of appetite
Dry mouth

Question 12

What are the 2 newer generation drugs

Answer 12

Serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs)

Noradrenic and specific serotogenic antidepressants (NaSSAs)

Question 13

How are serotonin-nroadrenaline reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) different to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)?

Answer 13

SNRIs target noradrenaline aswell as serotonin, inhibiting the reuptake of both neurotransmitters.

Question 14

How does noradrenic and specific serotonergic antidepressants work (NaSSAs)

Answer 14

Work like SNRIs by inhibiting the reuptake of both neurotransmitters but also act as antagonists of serotonin and noradrenaline receptors.

Question 15

what are some side effects of SNRI (serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors)

Answer 15

tiredness
constipation
erectile dysfunction

Question 16

Side effects of NaSSAs (noradrenergic and specific serotonergic antidepressants)

Answer 16

weight gain
constipation
dry mouth

Question 17

What is a weakness of drug treatments

Answer 17

They target the symptoms and not the actual cause of it.

Question 18

Weakness of drug treatment: evidence that it doesn’t target cause

Answer 18

drugs taken stabilise the dysfunction of serotonin circuits, which leads to improved symptoms, it doesn’t actually target the cause of depression (environmental or genetic).

Question 19

Weakness of drug treatment: Compare it to CBT

Answer 19

CBT may be a better treatment as drugs only have a short term effect where treatments like CBT may target the root cause of it

Question 20

What is a strength of drug treatments

Answer 20

a meta analysis showed antidepressants are effective.

Question 21

Strength of drug treatment: procedure of meta analysis

Answer 21

looked at 21 different antidepressants, 552 double blind trails involving about 116,500 people with depression.

Question 22

Strength of drug treatment: what did the meta analysis find

Answer 22

all drugs were more effective than the placebo

Question 23

strength of drug teatment: why was this meta analysis important?

Answer 23

it was the biggest piece of evidece showing antidepressants were effective in improving moods

Question 24

What is a competing arguement to this meta analysis?

Answer 24

same study found…
- most effective drugs had the worst complience rates

• individual differences could affect how much antidepressants worked

Question 25

competing arguement: what does complience rates mean

Answer 25

whether people are more likely to stop taking them

Question 26

What is a strength of the application of the treatment

Answer 26

can remove the stigma that depression is caused by laziness or other psychological weakness’

Question 27

Strength of application: how are these stigmas challenged

Answer 27

as depression is increasingly seen as a medical disorder that responds to drugs, more people realise that its not caused by the individuals fault.

Question 28

Strength of application: why is challenging stigmas a benefit

Answer 28

it can help more people seek out help without fear of blame.