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DRUG TREATMENTS - Coggle Diagram
DRUG TREATMENTS
typical antipsychotics
these have been around since the 1950s an example is chlorpromazine which can be used in the form of tablets, syrup or an injection. Dosages usually start smaller and then increase to around 400-800mg
There is a strong association between typical antipsychotics such as chlorpromazine and the dopamine hypothesis. Typical antipsychotics such as chlorpromazine act as antagonists in the dopamine system. Agonists are chemicals which reduce the action of a neurotransmitter. Dopamine antagonists are chemicals which reduce the action of a neurotransmitter.
dopamine antagonists block dopamine receptors in the synapse of the brain which then reduces the action of dopamine. When an individual first takes chlorpromazine dopamine levels will build up but then the production will slowly reduce
according to the dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia this dopamine-antagonist effect normalises neurotransmission in key areas of the brain reducing symptoms such as hallucinations.
sedation effect
chlorpromazine is an effective sedative. This is believed to be related to its effect on histamine receptors but is is not fully understood how this leads to sedation
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atypical antipsychotics
atypical antipsychotics have been used since the 1970s. the aim to make new antipsychotics was to help improve the effectiveness of drugs in suppressing the symptoms of psychosis and minimise the effects of the drugs
clozapine
clozapine was developed in the 1960s and was finally tested in the 1970s. However it was stopped for a bit during the 1970s due to the deaths of some patients with a blood condition called agranulocytosis
in the 1980s it was discovered to be more effective than typical antipsychotics and was the main treatment used for schizophrenia
clozapine is still used today however the people using it have regular blood tests to ensure they don't have agranulocytosis
Clozapine binds to dopamine receptors in the same way that chlorpromazine does but it also acts on serotonin and glutamate receptors. This is believed to help improve mood and reduce depression
risperidone
risperidone has been around since the 1990s. It was developed in an attempt to make a drug as effective as clozapine without having serious side effects.
risperidone can be taken as tablets, syrup or an injection and lasts for around 2 weeks.
risperidone is believed to bind to dopamine receptors and serotonin receptors. risperidone binds more strongly to dopamine receptors than clozapine and is therefore effective in much smaller doses
The Chemical Cosh
Antipsychotics have been used in hospital situations to calm people with schizophrenia and make them easier for staff to work with. This is because antipsychotics like chlorpromazine have powerful sedative effects as well as antipsychotic properties
Whilst there may be side effects, calming people distressed by hallucinations and delusions makes them feel better, and allows them to engage with other treatments (such as cognitive behaviour therapy) and services. People in a new and potentially frightening environment like a psychiatric ward can benefit from feeling calmer and being able to mix with others.
There are clear benefits to using antipsychotics to calm people with schizophrenia and they can be used in hospitals where there are numerous patients on the same ward
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mechanisms unclear
a limitation of antipsychotics is that we do not know why they work. We believe that antipsychotic drugs reasoning as to why they work is linked to the original dopamine hypothesis with the idea that symptoms of schizophrenia are linked to high levels of dopamine activity in the subcortex of the brain
We now know that the original dopamine hypothesis is not a complete explanation for schizophrenia and that dopamine levels in our brain are too low instead of being too high. If this statement is correct the majority of antipsychotics would not be effective
Antipsychotic drugs
This condition can continue to persist after individuals stop taking the typical antipsychotics. Side effects can be reduced by individuals taking a smaller dosage however this then means that the effectiveness of the drug can also be reduced. This therefore means that antipsychotic drugs can do harm as well as good to an individual which therefore might lead to individuals avoiding treatment
Antipsychotic drugs are weakened by the fact that they have significantly severe side effects. An example is that some patients that take typical antipsychotics develop tardive-dyskinesia. This condition is where the person has uncontrollable facial tics.