drug therapy

• The most common treatments for SZ is the use of antipsychotic medication.

  These can be taken short term or long term dependent of the patient and their symptoms.

  2 types:

  Typical (traditional) antipsychotics

  Atypical (newer) antipsychotics
• Synaptic transmission is the process by which one neuron communicates with another through the use of neurotransmitters
• typical antipsychotics

  Dopamine antagonists (reduce dopamine activity)

  Block dopamine receptors so less dopamine is produced.

  Links to original dopamine hypothesis (says that SZ is caused by hyperdopaminergia)

  Block all types of dopamine activity.

  Reduces positive symptoms and has a calming effect.

  May have side effects e.g. tardive dyskinesia (involuntary movement disorder)
• atypical antipsychotics

  Newer antipsychotics created to improve effectiveness and reduce side effects (although there are still some e.g. neuroleptic malignant syndrome which can result in a coma/death)

  Temporarily block receptors % only bind to receptors in the brain (less side effects!)

  Some atypical antipsychotics also act on other neurotransmitters e.g. serotonin and reduce negative symptoms e.g. avolition
• atypical antipsychotics

  Clozapine & Risperidone

  •Binds to dopamine and serotonin receptors – reduces depression & anxiety

  •Has fewer side effects
• evaluation

  Side effects-

  Associated with a range of side effects e.g. NMS and should therefore be prescribed with caution

  Ethics-

  Antipsychotics may be used with patients with severe symptoms who can not give informed consent.

  Impact on quality of life-

  Antipsychotics enhance quality of life for many patients, allowing them to live independently

  Alternate treatments-

  Therapies have been shown to be effective and don’t have side effects so may be a more advisable treatment or an interactionist approach may be more effective
• strength

  Thornley et al (2003) – reviewed studies with over1000 patients and found Chlorpromazine was associated with better functioning and reduced symptoms compared to a placebo. Further studies have shown both typical and atypical antipsychotics to be effective. Suggests antipsychotic drugs are reasonably effective in reducing symptoms of SZ
• weakness

  Healy (2012) – most studies only look at short term effects and as antipsychotics have calming effects, it is easy to demonstrate positive effects on patients but this does not mean they reduce symptoms. Suggests the effectiveness of drug therapies in treating SZ may be overexaggerated.