5.1.4 - Treatments for Schizophrenia and Anorexia Nervosa

What is the biological treatment for schizophrenia include examples?

Antipsychotic Drugs - 1950s

• Chlorpromazine - used to calm agitation and reduce hallucinations

• Thioridazine - helps manage delusions and psychotic behaviours

Block dopamine receptors - by fitting into these receptors, blocking the neurotransmitter and reducing the impact in brain function, since it reduces signals transmitted, minimising the overstimulation - effective for + symptoms

• Severe side effects

What are the other types of drugs in biological treatments and examples?

Atypical Drugs - New generation, less side effects than typical - also block dopamine receptors

• Risperidone

• Clozapine - Appears to reduce - /+symptoms, though there’s some debates about the full impact - don’t bind tightly- if it doesn’t affect + symptoms

• Block serotonin receptors

What is the evaluation for biological?

• May have serious side effects like rapid heart rate and a blurred vision

• Atypical can lead to weight gain - increasing vulnerability for diabetes and high cholesterol

• Clozapine is the most effective drug - less side effects - supported by McEvoy saw that Clozapine was taken for considerably longer than other atypical and there was the most improvement

What is the non - biological treatment?

• Helps families cope, offer support and encourage medication compliance - allowing a manageable family environment - by offering family information about how medications work including possible side effects

• Shown the reduce relapse rates and increase treatment compliance - during the course of treatment

• Through therapy family can discuss concerns and finding solutions, developing understanding to reduce negative emotions - allowing family to feel supported which impacts effectiveness of treatment

What is the evaluation for non biological treatments?

• Family + medication more effective reducing relapse rates dependent on the type of intervention used since it can affect level of effectiveness

• Pilling et al 2002 - compared family therapy and CBT for schiz and found FT was more affective reducing relapse rates for episodes of psychosis and improves medication compliance

• Not designed to relive symptoms but reduce expression of emotions

• Not as effective by itself - lack of commitment = increase relapse rates

What are the biological treatments for anorexia nervosa?

SSRI - selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors - act as antidepressants

• Block the uptake of serotonin, there’s more in synapses - allowing there to be greater levels of serotonin

• Medication only treats the comorbid symptoms like depression

• Psychological therapies are more beneficial

What is the evaluation for biological treatments?

• Serious side effects - cardiac side effects - those with AN that have serious problems may suffer severely

• Weight gain - even though that’s desired - may be hard to cope with initially causing them to stop taking medication

What is the non - biological treatment for AN?

CBT - E

• CBT specifically developed for eating disorders

• Tackling thought and behaviours associated with eating disorders

• One to one session around 20 sessions and unless severely underweight 40 sessions

What is the evaluation of CBT-E?

• Client has to be motivated if not its not effective

• Adaptable to individuals needs

• Mainly effective if disorder is not maintained in a clinic

• Works the best when individual is not close to family or they have independent access to treatments

Supported by Byrne et al 2003 - found 2/3 showed significant progress in symptoms of all ED after CBT-E