Chapter 13: Antidepressants

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts related to antidepressants and their effects on depression as discussed in the lecture notes.

Major depressive disorder

A major affective disorder characterized by disordered feelings and disturbances in mood/emotion.

Mood disorders

Serious medical illnesses affecting the entire body, characterized by disrupted mood.

Bipolar disorder

A mood disorder also known as manic-depressive illness, involving mood swings from high (mania) to low (depression).

Unipolar disorder

The most common type of clinical depression, which does not include the manic phases found in bipolar disorder.

DSM-5

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, used for diagnosing mental disorders.

Monoamine Theory of Depression

A theory proposing that mood is related to the functioning of monoamines like serotonin and norepinephrine.

Glucocorticoid Theory of Depression

A theory suggesting that chronic overactivation of glucocorticoid receptors affects brain structure and function, contributing to depression.

First-Generation Antidepressants

Antidepressants such as MAOIs and TCAs, which were among the first developed.

Second-Generation Antidepressants

Antidepressants like SSRIs that specifically block the reuptake of serotonin.

Serotonin syndrome

A potentially dangerous condition characterized by cognitive, autonomic, and somatic symptoms due to excess serotonin.

Withdrawal symptoms from TCAs

May include restlessness, anxiety, chills, and muscle aches when TCAs are abruptly discontinued.

Serotonin Discontinuation Syndrome

Symptoms associated with the abrupt discontinuation of SSRIs, including flu-like symptoms, insomnia, and sensory disturbances.

Treatment-resistant depression

A condition where patients do not respond to standard antidepressant treatments, with 29-46% of such cases reported.