Schizophrenia Drug therapy – typical and atypical antipsychotics

TREATMENT FOR SCHIZOPHRENIA Historically people suffering from mental health issues were not treated with dignity or respect.

Before 50s schizophrenia was considered untreatable and patients were interned in mental institutions

Over time there have been a variety of different methods to treat schizophrenia

Rosenhan & Seligman vividly explain the back wards of mental hospitals as ‘snake pits’, filled with inmates who were unreachable or mutely catatonic, or were wild with delusions and straitjacketed. Attempts to treat schizophrenia such as insulin shock, ECT and drugs had failed.

Chemotherapy Since 50s use of drugs to treat mental disorders is widespread Types of drugs fall into following categories Anti-anxiety Anti-depressant Anti-psychotic Anti-manic Stimulants They work to either increase or reduce the levels of neurotransmitters

Lets remind ourselves of the Dopamine Hypothesis: Group poster activity Lets remind ourselves of the Dopamine Hypothesis: Use this to propose how you could design a Drug Therapy

DISCOVERY In mid 1950s discovered that large daily doses of Amphetamines could produce a psychosis identical to schizophrenia Amphetamine increases D2 transmission Chlorpromazine improves symptoms of schizophrenia Prevents Dopamine from activating This knowledge has led to the development of drugs that have similar pharmacological properties to chlorpromazine. The symptoms that are most responsive to these types of drugs are the ‘positive’ symptoms.

“Problem Schizophrenics” Newer generation antipsychotics can be effective in these normally unresponsive schizophrenics. They also lack some of the debilitating side effects of the older Drugs. These newer generation antipsychotics appear to block multiple subtypes of dopamine receptors (including D1 D2 D3 D4 D5).

Prep Activity You will each be allocated a drug to research. Using this information, construct an anti psychotic drug package. You must include: the mode of action of the drug side effects appropriateness You must include health warning / side effects information on your packet.

Evaluation of biological treatments