drug therapy

Overview of Biological Psychology and Drug Therapy

  • Focus on Biological Therapy: Drug therapy represents an essential component of biological psychology aimed at addressing mental health disorders.
    • Clarification: Therapy is about direct interventions (drug therapy) and not merely a therapeutic approach.

Understanding Biological Psychology

  • Core Belief: Behavior can be fully explained through biological factors.
    • This premise includes various sub-assumptions.
    • Physiological Approach: Examines the influence of neurochemicals, hormones, and the brain/nervous systems on behavior.
    • Nativist Approach: Investigates the impact of evolutionary and genetic factors on behavior.

Assumptions in Therapy and Drug Application

  • Apply Biological Assumptions to Therapy: Necessary to relate at least two biological assumptions to therapeutic aims and components.
    • These could involve broad assumptions and more specific ones relevant to drug therapy.

Drug Therapy Under the Biological Model

  • Medical Model of Mental Illness: Assumes psychological disorders like depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia have physiological origins.

    • Characterization: Mental illnesses akin to physical diseases, defined by symptom clusters (syndromes).
    • Treatment Approach: Advocates treatment through direct manipulation of physical bodily processes; drug therapy used as a primary method.

  • Neurotransmitter Function in Behavior: Changes in the brain’s neurotransmitter systems influence mood, feelings, perceptions, and behaviors.

    • Psychotherapeutic drugs are designed to modify neurotransmitter actions and thus treat mental disorders.

  • Localisation of Brain Function: Posits that drugs target specific brain regions associated with psychological disorders.

    • Example: Limbic system regulates emotions; disturbances here may affect mood.

Mechanism of Drug Therapy

  • SSRI Mechanism: Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors block the reuptake of serotonin at the synaptic membrane.
    • Outcome: Increases serotonin concentration at receptor sites, leading to enhanced communication between neurons.

Sympathetic Nervous System Response

  • Fight or Flight Response: Activation occurs when a person perceives a threat, leading to physiological changes that prepare the body for danger.
    • Physiological Symptoms: Heart rate increases, mouth dries, sweating occurs in response to anxiety (e.g., speaking before an audience).

Main Components (Principles) of Drug Therapy

  • Three Main Types of Psychoactive Drugs:

    • Antipsychotics: Treat psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia by managing symptoms.

    • Conventional Antipsychotics: Combat positive symptoms (e.g., delusions, hallucinations) by blocking dopamine action.

    • Atypical Antipsychotics (e.g., Clozapine): Temporarily occupy dopamine receptors and rapidly dissociate, resulting in fewer side effects (e.g., tardive dyskinesia).

    • Antidepressants: Address depression via neurotransmitter modulation.

    • Mechanism: Increase availability of neurotransmitters (e.g., serotonin) by blocking breakdown or reabsorption, promoting neurotransmitter activity.

      • Common Class of Antidepressants: SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors, e.g., Prozac) maintain serotonin levels in the synapse.

    • Antianxiety Drugs (Benzodiazepines and Beta-Blockers):

    • Benzodiazepines (BZs): Reduce anxiety by enhancing GABA activity, slowing down central nervous system (CNS) activity.

    • Beta-Blockers (BBs): Mitigate stress by reducing adrenaline/noradrenaline activity, binding to receptors to lower heart rate and blood pressure, resulting in reduced anxiety.