Biological Treatments of Schizophrenia : Anti-Psychotics

• What does the presence of excess or deficiency of a neurochemical in schizophrenia suggest about treatment?

  Treatment should be biological.
• What type of medication helps alleviate symptoms of schizophrenia?

  Antipsychotic medication
• What symptoms do antipsychotic medications help alleviate?

  Delusions and hallucinations
• When were typical antipsychotic drugs first developed?

  In the 1950s
• How do typical antipsychotic drugs work?

  They block dopamine receptors.
• What positive symptoms do typical antipsychotics improve?

  Hallucinations and delusions
• What did Meltzer et al's study find about haloperidol compared to placebo?

  Haloperidol showed significant improvements.
• What percentage of people do first-generation drugs successfully reduce positive symptoms for?

  60%
• What is the purpose of second-generation antipsychotics developed in the 1990s?

  To target dopamine and other neurotransmitters.
• How does clozapine differ from typical antipsychotics?

  It is effective for both positive and negative symptoms.
• What did McEvoy et al find about clozapine in their study?

  Clozapine was the most effective drug.
• What is a weakness of biological therapies regarding symptom treatment?

  They treat symptoms, not the cause.
• What percentage of patients relapse after stopping treatment?

  60-80%
• What are common short-term side effects of antipsychotic medications?

  Drowsiness, blurred vision, constipation
• What is tardive dyskinesia?

  Involuntary movement of lips and tongue
• What percentage of people experience tardive dyskinesia after FGAs?

  30%
• What is agranulocytosis?

  A potentially fatal blood disorder
• What did Lieberman et al find about patient compliance with medication?

  Patients stop due to severe side effects.
• What did Patel find regarding improvement after FGD trials?

  45% experienced partial improvement and side effects.
• What did Jeste et al find about tardive dyskinesia rates?

  30% on FGAs vs. 5% on SGDs.
• What do critics say about the nature of drug treatments for schizophrenia?

  They act as a form of social control.
• What do Ross and Read argue about prescribed drugs?

  They reinforce the idea of something wrong.
• What did Leucht et al's meta-analysis find about relapse rates?

  64% on placebo relapsed vs. 27% on medication.
• How can substance abuse affect antipsychotic treatment?

  It can disrupt medication effectiveness.
• What is the empirical evidence supporting biological therapies for schizophrenia?

  • Well-controlled studies
  • Objective measurements
  • Use of placebo groups
  • Double-blind studies
  • Animal experiments minimize confounding variables
• What is the diathesis-stress model in relation to schizophrenia?

  • Combination of biological and environmental factors
  • Environmental factors trigger biological predispositions
  • Increased D2 receptor activity
  • Suggests monitoring and combining therapies for effective treatment