Evaluation of drugs for the treatment of schizophrenia

from Schizophrenia the number of these receptor sites is higher and they are more densely packed.  The medical model offers a variety of somatic therapies for abnormal behavior and schizophrenia. Chemotherapy1, Electroconvulsive therapy2, and psychosurgery3 are probably the basic categories of these therapies. As it has been mentioned previously, schizophrenia is caused by the presence of chemicals in the brain and by dopamine. Therefore the most effective way of curing schizophrenia would be by blocking the dopamine receptors, which is an activity that mainly Chemotherapy (the use of drugs) can do. From the variety of psychotherapeutic drugs offered, the only ones that can be used for the treatment of schizophrenia are the neuroplectics. Phenothiazines, Butyrophenonels and Dibezazepines are the most widely used groups of neuroplectic drugs and are offered in the market under the trade names Thorazine, Haldol, Clozaril etc. Most neuroplectics block a particular type of dopamine receptor in the brain which has a result the inability of the dopamine to excite post-synaptic receptors. In addition, they inhibit the functioning of hypothalamus, which also contains neurons that secrete dopamine and play a role in arousal. The neuroplectics therefore prevent the arousal signals from reaching higher parts of the brain. Except from helping cure schizophrenia and lessening the need for physical restraint, neuroplectics are also known as major tranquilizers in the sense that they generally tranquillize without impairing consciousness. The effect of these drugs however isn’t necessarily of such importance. They are effective in reducing positive symptoms4 of schizophrenia, but people who show negative symptoms of schizophrenia, such as apathy or withdrawal, fail to respond to these drugs most of the times. This means that there are of low importance in treating social incapacity in adjusting to social life. Moreover, they do not cure the disorder, but reduce it and as a result relapse after a couple of weeks might occur, if the drugs are stopped. Finally, the use of neuroplectics is very often accompanied by a large number of side-effects. Of the many that have been reported and observed, the most frequent and at the same time most extreme include blurred vision and neuroplectic malignant syndrome, which causes delirium, coma and 1: Chemotherapy: The use of drugs to treat mental disorders. 2: Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT): Induces epileptic fit by passing electric current across the brain. 3: Psychosurgery: Surgical procedures performed on the brain in order to treat mental disorders. 4: Positive symptoms: Symptoms whose presence indicates schizophrenia. E.g. Hallucinations, Delusions, thought disturbances. sometimes even death. Akathisia (restlessness), dystonia (spastic body movements) and tardive dyskinesia (irretrievable movement disorders that resemble Parkinson’s disease) are also frequent side effects of the neuroplectics and are known as extrapyramidal symptoms. Of course, some of these side-effects can be controlled by the use of other drugs. However, those might have other side-effect, resulting in the patient having to use high numbers of different drugs, a fact that obviously harms the organism. The invention of the chemotherapeutic drugs for the treatment of Schizophrenia has certainly been a major contribution to Psychology and namely to the treatment of severe mental disorders like Schizophrenia, however they should be used within some limits and the frequency and amounts in which they are consumed should be controlled. This means that the therapist should be very accurate and precise in the kinds of drugs he prescribes to his patients. And his prescriptions dhould be based on thorough research he has made on the patient.