Brain Bee Chapter 12: Psychiatric Disorders

Uncontrolled anxiety is part of disorders like?

PTSD, OCD and panic attacks

How can medications help anxiety disorders and PTSD?

Medications can help most anxiety disorders by changing levels of neurotransmitters

What is the level of Serotonin in psychiatric disorders?

Serotonin levels are low in psychiatric disorders, so SSRI inhibitors can be used to increase them

Why are Benzodiazepines not used that much to treat Anxiety Disorders and PTSD?

Benzodiazepines were used because they increased GABA which lowered anxiety, but it caused dependance so they didn’t use it that much anymore

What is OCD?

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

What is the characterized function of OCD?

Characterized by obsessive recurring thoughts and compulsive behavior to combat those thoughts

What is one key brain area in OCD?

The basal ganglia (it supports habits and behaviors)

What contributes to ritualistic behavior within OCD?

Disrupted communication between the basal ganglia and cortex may lead to ritualistic behaviors

What is Panic Disorder?

Sudden, unexpected episodes of intense, irrational fear, along with trouble breathing, sweating, dizziness

People with panic disorder can have mood disorders like what?

Depression or bipolar disorder, and others like OCD, phobias, or schizophrenia

What are treatments for Panic Disorder?

Treatment involves psychotherapy, medications. SSRI’s are the main medication used but benzodiazepines can be used in an emergency

What can cause PTSD?

A traumatic event like military combat, a natural disaster, terrorist attack

What are the characteristic functions of PTSD?

Flashbacks, nightmares, intrusive memories of the trauma, and hyperarousal, meaning they feel constantly on edge or angry

What is a current effective treatment for PTSD?

CBT (Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy)

What is a treatment for when PTSD affects the body’s stress response?

Treatments include drugs that block norepinephrine

What can provide some protection against developing PTSD?

Neuropeptide Y

What are some treatment drugs for PTSD?

Some treatment drugs include cannabinoids, glutamate, and oxytocin

What causes Major Depression?

Major depression is caused by a combination of factors: genetics, biological risk factors, environmental triggers, and psychological influences

How does the brain of someone who has Major depression look like?

People with depression often have a smaller hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, these brain areas that help manage stress can be damaged with too much stress

How do approved antidepressants work? Give an example of one.

They work by increasing norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine in nerve cell synapses.

SSRIs are one of the most widely used medications

What is the characteristic function of Bipolar Disorder?

Very intense mood swings, from manic highs to depressive lows

What is Hypomania?

When a person gets very high swings of emotion

What are some treatment drugs for Bipolar disorder?

Mania: Drugs such as anti-epilepsy medications, lithium, or atypical antipsychotics

Depressive periods: Antidepressants or cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)

What is Schizophrenia?

A lifelong severe condition that affects thinking, behavior, and emotions

What are the symptoms of Schizophrenia?

Positive Symptoms: Hallucinations, and delusions

Negative Symptoms: Lack of motivation and inability to feel pleasure

When does Schizophrenia usually appear?

Between ages 15 and 25, when prefrontal cortex is developing

What is a drug for Schizophrenia?

Chlorpromazine: The first antipsychotic drug used to calm people with psychiatric disorders

Schizophrenia is strongly influenced by _______

Genetics

What can help relax riding nerve-cell structure and function in brain areas affected by schizophrenia?

Nicotine