Drug Therapies

• Chlorpromazine


  The first antipsychotic drug developed which reduces the amounts of dopamine in the brain by blocking D2 receptors
• Is chlorpromazine typical or atypical?

  Typical
• Strengths of chlorpromazine

  Fewer side effects as it is high potency so less has to be administered
• Clozapine


  An atypical antipsychotic drug that is only used as a last resort as it has serious side effects
• Antagonist drugs


  Reduce the effect of dopamine all over the brain
• Partial agonist drugs


  Reduce levels of dopamine where it is too high and increases levels when it is too low
• Problems with antipsychotic drugs

  Different drugs produce different effects and each patient experiences them differently, so getting the right dosage relies on trial and error
• Cole et al (1964)

  Found that most people on antipsychotic drugs improved and no one got worse, showing that it is effective
• Reasons for non-adherence to medication

  - unbearable side effects

  - may feel 'normal' so stop taking them

  - lack of insight into the illness

  - paranoid delusions e.g. being poisoned
• 3 main side effects of antipsychotic drugs

  - tardive dyskinesia: sudden uncontrollable jerky movements

  - Parkinsonism: movement problems similar to Parkinson's

  - agranulocytosis: bone marrow doesn't make enough white blood cells to fight off infections
• Why is consent an issue with antipsychotics?

  - people can be given medication without consenting to it - Szasz called this a 'chemical straight jacket': makes a patient more compliant
• Social implications of antipsychotics

  - antipsychotics reduce the amount of hospitalisation so less money is spent looking after patients in hospital

  - most drugs need to be monitored which costs money, and side effects will need to be treated
• Why is knowledge an issue with antipsychotics?

  We don't know how antipsychotics actually work and why they have different side effects for different people