3: Drug treatments for anxiety disorders

Anxiolytics

Drugs that relieve anxiety

most are sedative-hypnotic

Geller-seifter conflict test

Anti-anxiety drugs have no effect on reinforced schedule

At higher doses of anxiolytics what happens

Increased doses of anxiolytics induce sleep and at the highest doses induce coma

What is the primary mechanism for anxiolytics

Enhancing transmission, allows CF to move into cell and hyperpolarize it

Barbiturates vs Benzodiazepines

Barbiturates: increased dependence effects CF channels w/t or w/o GABA, increased resp depression, decreased REM, impaired cog function *similar to alcohol

Benzodiazepines are safer for long term use

Induce a natural sleep not a hangover sleep

What was the first benzodiazepine for anxiety why

Librium, it had a much safer therapeutic index than barbiturates with a shorter duration of action

• relieves worry with better side effects than barbiturates

Mechanism of Librium/benzodiazapines

Have immediate metabolism leading to a shorter duration of action

The long last ones have 2 phases

Other uses for benzodiazepines?

Can offset barbiturate and alcohol withdrawal, can aid in sleep for insomnia, and can be a muscle relaxant for people with epilepsy

What is a second gen anxiolytics? Give an example

Can treat comorbid depression, causes no sedation or mental fogginess, little dependence and withdrawal

Decrease anxiety even as drug is stoppped

Negatives to second gen anxiolytics

Onset is long, not as affective for situational anxiety

Lacks the hypnotic effects to treat insomnia and is not a muscle relaxant therefore can’t help in epilepsy like benzodiazepines

Ex: BuSpar