Week 5 Psychotic Disorders and Week 6 Anti-Psychotic Drugs Flashcards
The Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal (HPA) axis?
HPA axis is for stress response regulation.
- Hypothalamic release of corticotropin-releasing factor or Hormone (CRF or CRH).
- CRH binds to CRH receptors on the anterior pituitary gland, where adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) is released.
- ACTH binds to receptors on the adrenal cortex and stimulates adrenal glans to release cortisol
- When Cortisol levels get high, the negative feedback loop inhibits the release of CRH
What is neural Plasticity?
Neuroplasticity: The brain’s ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life. Neuroplasticity allows the neurons (nerve cells) in the brain to compensate for injury and disease and to adjust their activities in response to new situations or to changes in their environment.
What is Pavlovian Conditioning?
Classical conditioning (also known as Pavlovian or respondent conditioning) refers to a learning procedure in which a biologically potent stimulus (e.g. food) is paired with a previously neutral stimulus (e.g. a bell)
How is memory affected by emotion?
Memories are stronger if an emotional event is attached to it.
This is due to the activation of NorAdrenaline and its effects on the hippocampus, cerebral cortex and other brain regions
Known as Flashbulb Memory
Where is the Ventral Tegmental Area (VTA) situated inside the brain?
A. Situated adjacent to the Substantia Nigra
B. Inferior to the cerebellum
C. Inside the prefrontal cortex
D. Below the medulla oblongata
A. Situated adjacent to the Substantia Nigra
VTA is found in the midbrain, situated next to the substantia nigra
What is main function of the Ventral Tegmental Area (VTA)?
The VTA is the origin of the dopaminergic cell bodies of the mesolimbic and mesocortical pathways.
It is fundamental in our ability to balance risk and reward
More dopamine is released when things turn out better than expected or less dopamine when things turn worse
What is Schizophrenia?
A group of severe disorders characterised by disturbances of cognition, behaviour and emotions
What are the two subtypes of Catatonia?
Stuporous or Excited
Stuporous is characterised by
- rigid poses (stupor)
- mutism
- waxy flexibility (hold positions given to them by others)
- may repeat meaningless phrases
- may repeat the same movements
Excited
- Bizarre, non-goal directed hyperactivity and impulsiveness
What is Schizophreniform Disorder?
A. Schizophrenia that lasts less than 6 months
B. Schizophrenia that more than 6 months
C. Is a type of psychotic illness with symptoms similar to those of schizophrenia
D. Brief psychotic disorder
C. Is a type of psychotic illness with symptoms similar to those of schizophrenia that last less than 6 months and is a type of “psychosis” in which a person cannot tell what is real from what is imagined.
Brief Psychotic Disorder is where symptoms last from 1 day to 1 month in duration
Which is not a positive symptom of Schizophrenia?
A. Delusional Thoughts
B. Hallucinations: Visual or Auditory
C. Flat Affect: Lack of emotions
D. Pointless Movements
C. Flat Affect: Lack of emotions is a negative symptom
Positive symptoms not normally seen in everyday people such as delusional thoughts.
Negative symptoms are
- the absence of normal thoughts and emotions ie. the ability to feel sad or happy.
- Loss of interest in hobbies/activities
- Catatonia
True or False?
Atrophy of the ventricles in the brain is a potential risk factor for developing Schizophrenia?
False
Enlargement of the Ventricles is found in people with Schizophrenia.
Which neurotransmitters have elevated levels in Schizophrenia?
A. GABA
B. Acetylcholine
C. Dopamine
D. Noradrenaline
C. Dopamine
Have both elevated levels of Dopamine and Dopamine receptor D2
Anti-psychotic drugs are used to treat Schizophrenia. What AV drugs also block dopamine receptors?
A. Ondansetron
B. Prochlorperazine
C. Ketamine
D. Adrenaline
B. Prochlorperazine (anti-emetic)
is a centrally acting dopamine receptor antagonist that is most commonly used for the treatment of nausea and vomiting
Which is not a type of neuroleptics drug group?
A. Phenothiazine
B. Thioxanthene
C. Butyrophenone
D. Psilocybin
D. Psilocybin - is found in magic mushrooms
Phenothiazine: (Chlorpromazine) is a chemical straight jacket as it is an immediate sedative drug
Thioxanthene: One of a group of drugs with antipsychotic activity which acts by blocking postsynaptic (after-the-nerve) receptors for dopamine
Butyrophenone: Antagonism of dopamine receptors in the central nervous system; it also interferes with GABA-, norepinephrine-, and serotonin-mediated neuronal activity.
Chlorpromazine is used to treat which type of Schizophrenia Symptoms.
A. Positive
B. Negative
and
Which receptor does it bind to?
Positive Symptoms
- Delusions, Hallucinations, Emotions, Aggression,
Binds to D2 receptors as an Antagonist
IM injection
Contras: Pregnancy, Lactation, CNS Depression
