Chapter 4 Biological Basis

Chapter 4 Biological Basis Use of psychotropic drugs  Origins of the psychiatric illnesses  Alteration in cerebral function= disturbances in behavioral and mental experiences  Changes in functions and activities of the brain Neurons  Neurotransmitters  Vesicles/synapses  Pre/post-synaptic  Action potential  Principles of neurotransmission  Agonist/partial agonist  Antagonist/Inverse Agonist Serotonin  5-ht  Requires amino acid tryptophan  Broken down by MAO  Decrease: depression, suicide, anxiety, mania, aggression, schizophrenia  DOMAINS (depression, obsession, migraines, anxiety, intestines, nausea, sexual)  Serotonin syndrome- SHIVERS-D (shivers, hyperreflexia, increased temperature, vital signs, encephalopathy, restlessness, sweating, diarrhea) Dopamine  Pathways: mesolimbic, nigrostriatal, mesocortical, tuberoinfundibular  Decreased dopamine in nigrostriatal= movement disorders, depression  Increased dopamine in mesolimbic= hallucinations  Decreased dopamine in mesocortical= negative symptoms (schizophrenia)  Decreased dopamine in tuberoinfundibular= hyperprolactinemia  DOPAMINE ( D rugs, psych o sis, p rolactin inhibition, a ttention, m otivation, i nvoluntary movement, n ausea, e nergy NOREPHINEPHRINE  Fight or flight  Suppress neuroinflammation  Adrenergic receptors o A1 activates SNS o A2 inhibits SNS (cool down) o B1 Cardiac