bio treatments

• Typical antipsychotics:

  • Chloropromazine - Dopamine antagonist 
  • Blocks dopamine receptors to reduce action (blocks 70% of receptors in order to be effective 
  • reduces positive symptoms - hallucinations
  • BUT - side effects impact physical movements
• Tardive dyskinesia: - extrapyramidal side effect of typical antipsychotics 

  • Jerky movements to face, tongue or whole body 
  • Occurs in 30% of cases 
  • The longer patients take the drugs for, the more at risk they are of developing the disorder 
  • After 25yrs of drug treatment, T.D is present in up to 68% of schizophrenics 
• Atypical antipsychotics:

  • Suppress symptoms and minimise side effects (e.g- lower risk of tremor)
  • Suitable for treatment resistant patients 
  • Block Dopamine and other neurotransmitter receptors 
  • 2 types - clozapine and risperidone 
• Clozapine: Atypical antipsychotic

  • Temporarily binds to dopamine receptors and acts of serotonin & glutamate receptors too 
  • Improves mood - effects negative symptoms
  •  useful for suicidal patients 
  • Doesn't cause motor problems 
• Risperidone: Atypical antipsychotics

  • Binds to dopamine and serotonin receptors but not strongly to dopamine - so less side effects and lower dose 
  • No side effects at a normal dose other than occasional restlessness and agitation 

   
• supportive evidence for biological treatments -

  •  Thornley (2003) found in a meta-analysis that Chlorpromazine was associated with better functioning and reduced symptom severity than placebos, supporting that the drug does have a positive effect on schizophrenia patients.
• Economic implications of biological treatments:

  • Treating schizophrenia with medication can be expensive, especially atypical drugs. However, they may reduce the need for costly hospital stays and help patients return to work. The cost of treatment might be worth it because it allows patients to live more productive lives and reduces the burden on healthcare systems.
• effectiveness of biological treatments-

  Leucht et al (2012) carried out a meta-analysis of 65 studies (involving nearly 6000 patients) and compared those on antipsychotics and those placed on a placebo. Within 12 months, 64% of those patients on the placebo relapsed, compared to 27% who remained on an antipsychotic. - shows biological treatments are highly effective