Module 45: Biomedical Therapies and Preventing Psychological Disorders

enthusiasm diminishes after subtract

(1) normal recovery among untreated persons and (2) recovery due to the placebo effect, which arises from the positive expectations of patients and mental health workers alike

Doug, who suffers from depression, recently saw an ad for free medication in return for participation in a new drug trial. Doug was told that he would be participating in a double-blind study. What does that imply?

Neither Doug nor the researcher will know if Doug is receiving a placebo or the medication.

A simple salt that often brings relief to patients suffering the highs and lows of bipolar disorder is

lithium

Gerald suffers from bipolar disorder. He is likely to be prescribed _____ to combat the highs and lows of this disorder.

lithium

Research on deep brain stimulation has revealed that the source of depression can be _____ in the brain.

localized

tardive dyskinesia

long term use of antipsychotics with involuntary movements of the facial muscles (such as grimacing), tongue, and limbs.

newer antipsychotics

risperidone (Risperdal) and olanzapine (Zyprexa), work best for those with severe symptoms and have fewer side effects -- increase risk of obesity and diabetes

psychosurgery

surgery that removes or destroys brain tissue in an effort to change behavior.

Aidan, a man in his fifties, was diagnosed with schizophrenia and prescribed antipsychotic medication starting in his twenties. He has used this medication continuously since then. He is most at risk for _____.

tardive dyskinesia

Mary Ann, a woman in her fifties, was diagnosed with schizophrenia and prescribed antipsychotic medication starting in her twenties. She has used this medication continuously since then. What serious side effect is she MOST at risk for?

tardive dyskinesia

repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS)

the application of repeated pulses of magnetic energy to the brain; used to stimulate or suppress brain activity -helps depression (massage therapy)

Alberto struggles with anxiety. His friend, Miguel, encourages him to deal with the problem by taking Xanax. What is a possible argument against this advice?

While drugs reduce symptoms in the moment, they don't address the source of the problem.

electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)

a biomedical therapy for severely depressed patients in which a brief electric current is sent through the brain of an anesthetized patient started 1938, 100 volts now, more gentle calms neural centers where overactivity produces depression

Therapeutic Lifestyle Change

a human being is an integrated biopsychosocial system restore healthy biological state

lobotomy

a psychosurgical procedure once used to calm uncontrollably emotional or violent patients. The procedure cut the nerves connecting the frontal lobes to the emotion-controlling centers of the inner brain. Rosemary Kennedy

Brent suffers from depression. While he consistently goes to work and meets family responsibilities, he suffers from negative moods and a sense of hopelessness. What option has the LEAST possible side effects and/or risks?

aerobic exercise

Drugs such as Xanax and Ativan, which depress central nervous system activity, can become addictive when used as ongoing treatment. These drugs are referred to as _______________ drugs

antianxiety

antipsychotic drugs

drugs used to treat schizophrenia and other forms of severe thought disorder.

Some antipsychotic drugs, used to calm people with schizophrenia, can have unpleasant side effects, most notably

sluggishness, tremors, and twitches.

psychopharmacology

the study of the effects of drugs on mind and behavior. 1950's

The drugs given most often to treat depression are called ________________. Schizophrenia is often treated with ___________drugs.

antidepressants antipsychotic

deep brain stimulation

one third extremely well 30% modestly improved

Brian has suffered from severe, unremitting depression for almost two decades. He has tried therapy, numerous medications, and ECT. Nothing has helped. What is the likelihood that he might respond to deep brain stimulation?

There is a chance that this treatment will be effective.

Which of the following drugs is MOST likely to provide patients with schizophrenia with some relief from their auditory hallucinations and paranoia?

Thorazine

Prozac and its cousins Zoloft and Paxil

blocking the normal reuptake of excess serotonin from synapses SSRI's

One of the main reasons that the newer-generation antipsychotic medications are prescribed preferentially for people suffering from schizophrenia is:

fewer side effects

biomedical therapy

prescribed medications or procedures that act directly on the person's physiology.

Ilardi

--Aerobic exercise, 30 minutes a day, at least three times weekly (increases fitness and vitality, stimulates endorphins) --Adequate sleep, with a goal of 7 to 8 hours a night (increases energy and alertness, boosts immunity) --Light exposure, 15 to 30 minutes each morning with a light box (amplifies arousal, influences hormones) --Social connection, with less alone time and at least two meaningful social engagements weekly (helps satisfy the human need to belong) --Anti-rumination, by identifying and redirecting negative thoughts (enhances positive thinking) --Nutritional supplements, including a daily fish oil supplement with omega-3 fatty acids (supports healthy brain functioning) --- 77% relief, 19% control

antianxiety drugs

--drugs used to control anxiety and agitation. --Xanax or Ativan, depress central nervous system activity (and so should not be used in combination with alcohol) -- enhance exposure therapy's extinction of learned fears and help relieve the symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder

criticism of antianiety

--reduce symptoms without resolving underlying problems, especially if used as an ongoing treatment. --can be addictive

community psychologists

-focus on creating environments that support psychological health. - aim to empower people and to enhance their competence, health, and well-being.

preventive mental health

-upstream work -prevent psychological casualties by identifying and alleviating the conditions that cause them

After three sessions of ECT each week for two to four weeks, about _____ percent or more people suffering from severe depression improve markedly.

80

Constance suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder and Steven suffers from depression. What class of drugs are they likely to be prescribed?

Both will receive antidepressants.

Cognitive therapy

Cognitive therapy, which helps people reverse their habits of thinking negatively, can boost the drug-aided relief from depression and reduce posttreatment relapses. Antidepressant drugs work from the bottom up to affect the emotion-forming limbic system. Cognitive-behavioral therapy works from the top down to alter frontal lobe activity and change thought processes. Together, they can attack depression (and anxiety) from both directions

mood stabilizing drugs

Depakote (epilepsy, bipolar disorder) lithium (1940's, Cade, 7 in 10 people benefit)

antidepressant drugs

drugs used to treat depression, anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder. (Several widely used antidepressant drugs are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors—SSRIs.) -originally depression only, now more

Severe depression that has not responded to other therapy may be treated with _________________ , which can cause brain seizures and memory loss. More moderate neural stimulation techniques designed to help alleviate depression include _______________ magnetic stimulation and _____________ stimulation.

electroconvulsive therapy repetitive transcranial deep brain

posttraumatic growth

positive psychological changes as a result of struggling with extremely challenging circumstances and life crises.

An approach that seeks to identify and alleviate conditions that put people at high risk for developing psychological disorders is called

preventive mental health

One of the lingering misconceptions about ECT is that, when first introduced, it was used universally for people with mental illness. Research over time has shown that this treatment is very effective, but only for people with:

severe depression

When drug therapies have not been effective, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) may be used as treatment, largely for people with

severe depression

resilience

the personal strength that helps most people cope with stress and recover from adversity and even trauma.

chlorpromazine

thorazine reduce patients' overreactions to irrelevant stimuli experiencing positive symptoms of schizophrenia, such as auditory hallucinations and paranoia