My Revision Notes: Edexcel A-level: Psychology by Ali Abbas

Author:Ali Abbas [Abbas, Ali]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Hodder Education
Published: 2017-04-26T16:00:00+00:00

Answer on p. 230

Drug therapy

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are one type of antidepressant drug, which includes drugs like Prozac. When serotonin is released from the presynaptic cell into the synapse, it travels to the receptor sites on the postsynaptic neuron. Serotonin which is not absorbed into the postsynaptic neuron is reabsorbed into the sending cell (the presynaptic neuron). SSRIs increase the level of serotonin available in the synapse by preventing it from being reabsorbed into the sending cell. This increases the level of serotonin in the synapse and results in more serotonin being received by the receiving cell (postsynaptic neuron). So SSRIs and tricyclic drugs reduce the uptake and slow the transmission, reducing the excitation and lowering the electric impulse bringing the observable behaviour to a more normal level.

If a patient fails to respond to an SSRI, doctors revert to clomipramine. Clomipramine is an older tricyclic antidepressant and was the first medication used to treat OCD. Although its efficiency is greater than that of other medications, it has unpleasant side effects that may make the patient uncomfortable. Sometimes an SSRI and clomipramine are combined in treatment.

Antidepressants (like anti-anxiety drugs) improve mood and reduce anxiety which is experienced by patients with OCD. Benzodiazepines (BZs) are a range of anti-anxiety drugs, which include trade names like Valium and Diazepam. BZs work by enhancing the action of the neurotransmitter GABA which in turn tells neurons in the brain to ‘slow down’ and ‘stop firing’ and around 40 per cent of the neurons in the brain respond to GABA. This means that BZs have a general quieting influence on the brain and consequently reduce anxiety, which is experienced as a result of the obsessive thoughts.

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