biological treatment for schizophrenia

• how can antipsychotics be taken

  orally as a tablet or liquid, or injected if patient is unlikely to take medication
• how soon should antipsychotics start to work

  within a couple of weeks - if they do not then psychiatrist may prescribe another type on antipsychotics
• what are first generation antipsychotics (FGAs) - typical antipsychotics

  • used to reduce effects of dopamine
  • work by blocking post-synpatic dopamine receptors without activating them - block D2 receptors by reducing stimulation of dopamine in brain
  • antipsychotics can reduce positive symptoms of SZ e.g: delusions and hallucinations
• what is an example of an FGA

  phenothiazines - sedate the person and reduce delusions and hallucinations but have severe side effects
• what are second generation antipsychotics (SGAs)- atypical antispychotics

  • block post-synaptic dopamine receptors but act on serotonin and glutamate receptors
  • reduces both positive and negative symptoms of SZ (e.g: social withdrawal)
  • drugs only temporarily block receptor sites so leads to fewer side effects than FGAs
• what is an example of an SGA

  risperidone - binds to serotonin and dopamine receptors but binds more strongly to dopamine so effective in smaller doses
• what is the protocol for use if antipsychotic drugs (patel 2014)


  1. first 7 days following a psychotic episode, objective is to decrease hostility & attempt to return client to normal functioning (e.g: sleeping and eating
  2. client is carefully monitored for changes in symptoms & side effects
  3. once symptoms pass, maintenance dose is prescribed to encourage improved mood & control relapse (60-80% chance of relapse without maintenance dose)
  4. maintenance dose maintained for at least 12 months
• strength

  • drugs considered effective if taking medication prevents a SZ from having a further episode
  • davis (1980) found a significant difference in terms of relapse rates between the placebo & treatment groups in every study reviewed
  • demonstrates that drugs may be an effective treatment in preventing relapse
• strength

  • antipsychotic drug therapies shown to be effective in treating SZ
  • meltzer (2004) found in a study of 481 schizophrenic patients, antipsychotic drugs were more effective in decreasing positive/negative symptoms than a control - reported using a severity of illness and scores from a psychiatrist
  • demonstrates antipsychotics effective in reducing symptoms
• weakness

  • drugs do not seem to provide a long term cure for the disorder
  • rzewuska (2002) found that symptoms return if patients stop taking the drug so patients have to be kept on low doses for long periods of time
  • suggests drugs don't cure the illness, they mask symptoms so not effective in treatment for SZ
• weakness

  • drugs have severe side effects
  • patients taking clozapine have life-threatening side effects resulting in blood disorders so other drugs have to be administered to counteract this effect and regular blood tests necessary
  • potential for an individual to experience fatal side effects from antipsychotics may mean we question whether or not quality of life and functioning does improve with usage of drugs