All Flashcards
What is Psychopharmacology?
The study of how drugs affect the mind and behavior.
What are SSRIs?
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; a type of antidepressant.
What are SNRIs?
Selective Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors; a type of antidepressant.
What is neurogenesis?
The growth of new neurons.
What is tolerance (in the context of drugs)?
Needing more of a drug to get the same effect.
What is dependence (in the context of drugs)?
Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when stopping a drug.
What is tardive dyskinesia?
Involuntary muscle movements caused by long-term use of antipsychotic drugs.
What is Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)?
A procedure where brief electric currents are sent to the brain to treat severe depression.
What is Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS)?
A procedure where magnetic energy is sent to the brain to stimulate or suppress activity.
What is Psychosurgery?
Removing parts of the brain to treat disorders.
What is the effect of increased serotonin and norepinephrine levels in the brain?
Boosts mood and alleviates symptoms of depression and anxiety.
What is the effect of reduced central nervous system activity?
Calms anxiety and reduces panic attacks.
What is the effect of decreased dopamine levels in the brain?
Reduces psychotic symptoms in disorders like schizophrenia.
What can long-term use of anti-anxiety drugs cause?
Tolerance and dependence.
What can long-term use of antipsychotic drugs cause?
Tardive dyskinesia (involuntary muscle movements).
What is the effect of brief electric currents sent to the brain during ECT?
Lowers brain activity and promotes neurogenesis, leading to improvement in severe depression.
What is the effect of magnetic energy sent to the brain during rTMS?
Stimulates or suppresses brain activity, potentially activating the left frontal lobe and improving mood.
What is the effect of removing parts of the brain during psychosurgery?
Attempts to treat disorders but carries a high risk of brain damage.
What is the effect of stopping antipsychotic medication?
Symptoms return.
What is the effect of neurogenesis?
Improves mood and alleviates symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Compare SSRIs and SNRIs.
Both are antidepressants, but SSRIs increase serotonin levels, while SNRIs increase both serotonin and norepinephrine levels.
Compare ECT and rTMS in treating depression.
ECT uses electric currents and is more effective for severe depression but has more side effects. rTMS uses magnetic energy, is painless, and has fewer side effects but may be less effective.
Compare tolerance and dependence in the context of anti-anxiety drugs.
Tolerance is needing more of the drug to get the same effect, while dependence is experiencing withdrawal symptoms when stopping the drug.
Compare Antidepressants and Anti-anxiety drugs.
Antidepressants boost mood by affecting neurotransmitter levels. Anti-anxiety drugs calm the central nervous system.
Compare the effectiveness of drug treatments and psychosurgery.
Drug treatments aim to manage symptoms by altering brain chemistry, while psychosurgery involves physically altering the brain, which is riskier and rarely used.
Compare the use of SSRIs and SNRIs in treating mental disorders.
SSRIs are primarily used for depression by selectively increasing serotonin levels, while SNRIs address both serotonin and norepinephrine, potentially offering broader relief for some individuals.
Compare the side effects of anti-anxiety drugs and antipsychotics.
Anti-anxiety drugs can lead to tolerance and dependence, while antipsychotics can cause tardive dyskinesia and other motor-related side effects.
Compare the ethical considerations of ECT and psychosurgery.
Both raise ethical concerns about informed consent and potential harm, but psychosurgery is considered more drastic and irreversible, raising greater ethical concerns.
Compare the mechanisms of action of antidepressants and mood stabilizers.
Antidepressants primarily target neurotransmitter levels to alleviate depression symptoms, while mood stabilizers aim to balance mood swings in bipolar disorder through different mechanisms.
Compare the use of rTMS and deep-brain stimulation in treating depression.
rTMS is non-invasive and uses magnetic pulses to stimulate the brain, while deep-brain stimulation involves surgically implanting electrodes to stimulate specific brain areas.