Treatments of schizophrenia: Biological


	Treatments of schizophrenia: Biological
	Advantages Use of anti-psychotic drugs alleviate symptoms quickly, especially positive symptoms Typical anti-psychotics allowed patients to be released who had been institutionalised for years - KANE - no relapses in drug treatment group No lifestyle changes - just remember to take medication Easy to administer - KANE showed fluphenazine injected 2-3 times a week works by blocking dopamine receptors Psychosurgery much less invasive than it used to be ECT is effective in treating drug resistant patients and helps lift depression	Disadvantages Reductionist - only treats bodies reaction and perhaps not the cause Drug use needs to be increased with time and can lead to harmful side effects e.g. clozapine effects the immune system so constant health checks are required Issue of informed consent when patient is has been sectioned or has a serious disorder ECT should only be a short term solution Ethical issues surrounding psychosurgery Drugs are not a long term solution as we don't know exactly how they act on the dopamine system. Take weeks to take effect Effectiveness of fluphenazine limited to schizophrenics with one episode and for those in remission - cannot be generalised to all schizophrenics
	Evaluation Doesn't provide long term solutions unlike the cognitive approach. Ethical issues like behavioural approach.

Use of anti-psychotic drugs alleviate symptoms quickly, especially positive symptoms
Typical anti-psychotics allowed patients to be released who had been institutionalised for years - KANE - no relapses in drug treatment group
No lifestyle changes - just remember to take medication
Easy to administer - KANE showed fluphenazine injected 2-3 times a week works by blocking dopamine receptors
Psychosurgery much less invasive than it used to be
ECT is effective in treating drug resistant patients and helps lift depression

Reductionist - only treats bodies reaction and perhaps not the cause
Drug use needs to be increased with time and can lead to harmful side effects e.g. clozapine effects the immune system so constant health checks are required
Issue of informed consent when patient is has been sectioned or has a serious disorder
ECT should only be a short term solution
Ethical issues surrounding psychosurgery
Drugs are not a long term solution as we don't know exactly how they act on the dopamine system. Take weeks to take effect
Effectiveness of fluphenazine limited to schizophrenics with one episode and for those in remission - cannot be generalised to all schizophrenics

Doesn't provide long term solutions unlike the cognitive approach. Ethical issues like behavioural approach.

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