Psychological Treatment: Biomedical Therapies

Effects: Antipsychotic drugs, or neuroleptics, reduce sensitivity to irrelevant stimuli by limiting the activity of the neurotransmitter dopamine. Many antipsychotic drugs are most useful for treating positive symptoms of schizophrenia, such as hallucinations and delusions. However, a new class of antipsychotic drugs, called atypical antipsychotic drugs, also help treat the negative symptoms of schizophrenia. They reduce the activity of both dopamine and serotonin. Atypical antipsychotic drugs include clozapine (Clozaril), olanzapine (Zyprexa), and quetiapine (Seroquel). Atypical antipsychotic drugs can sometimes be effective for schizophrenia patients who have not responded to the older antipsychotic drugs.
Side effects: Side effects include drowsiness, constipation, dry mouth, tremors, muscle rigidity, and coordination problems. These side effects often make people stop taking the medications, which frequently results in a relapse of schizophrenia. A more serious side effect is tardive dyskinesia, a usually permanent neurological condition characterized by involuntary movements. To avoid tardive dyskinesia, the dosage of antipsychotics has to be carefully monitored. The atypical antipsychotics have fewer side effects than the older antipsychotic drugs and are less likely to cause tardive dyskinesia. In addition, relapse rates are lower if people continue to take the drug. However, the relapse rate is higher with these drugs if people discontinue the drug.

Lithium

One drug used in the treatment of bipolar disorders is lithium.

Effects: Lithium prevents mood swings in people with bipolar disorders. Researchers have suggested that lithium may affect the action of norepinephrine or glutamate.

Side effects: Lithium can cause tremors or long-term kidney damage in some people. Doctors must carefully monitor the level of lithium in a patient’s blood. A level that is too low is ineffective, and a level that is too high can be toxic. Discontinuing lithium treatment abruptly can increase the risk of relapse.

Recently developed alternatives to lithium include the drugs carbamazepine (Tegretol) and divalproex (Depakote).

Criticisms of Drug Therapies

Drug therapies are effective for many people with psychological disorders, especially for those who suffer from severe disorders that cannot be treated in other ways. However, drug therapies have been criticized for several reasons:

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