Biological Basis for Understanding Psychopharmacology Chapter 4

Psychobiology The 101 st Congress of the U.S. designated the 1990s as the “Decade of the Brain,” with the challenge for studying the biological basis of behavior. In keeping with the neuroscientific revolution, greater emphasis is placed on the study of the organic basis for psychiatric illness.

Youtube site to review The Brain--Emotions, Neurons, Neurotransmitters NEURONS AND NEURO-TRANSMITTERS Neurotransmitter Synapse 3D Animation Synapse animation

Implications for Nursing Emphasis in psychiatric nursing is on a smooth transition from a psychosocial approach to a biopsychosocial focus Psychiatric nurses must have a specialized knowledge about Neuroanatomy and neurophysiology Neuronal processes Neuroendocrinology Circadian rhythms Genetic influences Psychoimmunology Psychopharmacology Diagnostic technology

Circadian rhythms Follow a near-24-hour cycle in humans and may influence a variety of regulatory functions, including the sleep-wake cycle, body temperature regulation, patterns of activity such as eating and drinking, and hormone secretion. Some mood disorders have been linked to increased secretion of melatonin during darkness hours. Symptoms that occur in the premenstrual cycle have been linked to disruptions in biological rhythms.

Sleep-wake cycle is one of the most common biological rhythms that demonstrates circadian influence. Sleep stages  0 – Alpha  1 – Beta  2 – Theta  3 – Delta  4 – Delta  REM - Beta Neurochemical influences on sleep-wake cycle Serotonin and L-tryptophan Norepinephrine and dopamine GABA Acetylcholine