Part of The Student Room Group

  • Join over 1.2 million students every month
  • Accelerate your learning by 29%
  • Unlimited access from just £6.99 per month

Evaluation of drugs for the treatment of schizophrenia

Extracts from this document...

Introduction

* What are the advantages and disadvantages of using medication for the treatment of schizophrenia? According to the Medical Model of psychology one of the way genes may influence behavior is through biochemical agents in the brain. The view, that the brain produces its own hallucinogens is supported by some evidence, and more specifically by Smythies's findings of hallucinogen-like chemicals in the brain. Additionally, dopamine, a neurotransmitter, has received the majority of research attention. It is agreed that rather than the production of dopamine, the amount of it that is utilized plays role in schizophrenia. More dopamine is utilized either as a result of rather sensitive post-synaptic receptors for the neurotransmitter or because of an increased number of the receptor sites. This results in the fact that in people suffering from Schizophrenia the number of these receptor sites is higher and they are more densely packed. ...read more.

Middle

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. ...read more.

Conclusion

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. ?? ?? ?? ?? PSYCHOLOGY HL 1 ...read more.

The above preview is unformatted text

This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our International Baccalaureate Psychology section.

Found what you're looking for?

  • Start learning 29% faster today
  • 150,000+ documents available
  • Just £6.99 a month

or


Not the one? Search for your essay title...
  • Join over 1.2 million students every month
  • Accelerate your learning by 29%
  • Unlimited access from just £6.99 per month

See related essaysSee related essays

Related International Baccalaureate Psychology essays

  1. Media's Impact on Teens' Eating Disorders

    I do know that they will, which is another reason I really do need to do something about it." Whether or not the media constantly bombards teens with images of thin body types with intentions, it is becoming much

  2. EE PSYCHOLOGY

    An example of possessional is when the animal is given some item that it wants to possess e.g. favorite toy. Manipulative reinforcement in animal's cases can also once again mean a reward with a toy. (Martin and Pear, 1983: 222)

  1. Effects of Drugs and Alcohol on the Brain

    This happens because the receptors become over-stimulated on the postsynaptic neuron. The use of stimulants increases the amounts of dopamine which leads to mood elevation and increased motor activity. These effects are short-lived with the use of cocaine (Psychostimulants). As the stimulant level in the brain decreases, the dopamine levels settle back to normal as the "high" dies down.

  2. Psychology IB Abnormal Notes and Essay Plans

    Diagnosis can be influenced by attitudes and prejudge of the psychiatrists 2. They may expect a certain group of people to be more prone to depression 1. Therefore higher chance of getting depression 1. Overpathologization: same symptoms being interpreted as something else if they were presented by different person that is in a specific group 2.

  1. Outline and evaluate one or more psychological exlpanations for Schizophrenia

    and before he or she had developed realistic awareness of the external world and so Schizophrenics have a loss of contact with reality because their ego is no longer functioning properly. The psychodynamic approach explains some symptoms such as auditory hallucinations as the schizophrenics attempt to establish the ego.

  2. Where does Schizophrenia Lie in the Spectrum of Nature vs Nurture?

    Furthermore, in most cases, schizophrenics ?develop delusional ideas to explain hallucinations? (Symptoms of Schizophrenia). In some cases, schizophrenics have delusional ideas that they are being followed or persecuted. In addition to delusions and hallucinations, confused thoughts are symptoms associated with positive symptoms.

  1. Psychological Therapies

    The therapist would encourage the client to gradually face their fear of heights through experience. Next, the client would slowly expose themselves to greater and greater levels of their fear until the phobia diminishes or disappears entirely. Second type of therapy is called cognitive therapy.

  2. OUT OF BODY EXPERIENCES PSYCHOLOGY HL EXTENDED ESSAY

    One expressing the ?hippy? point of view of OBE to a more ?scientific? way of viewing. A hippy is a person whose behavior, dress, use of drugs, etc, implied a rejection of conventional values (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/hippy?s=t). The scientific way of viewing OBE, is derived through the scientific method ;a method of

  • Over 160,000 pieces
    of student written work
  • Annotated by
    experienced teachers
  • Ideas and feedback to
    improve your own work