Biological therapies for schziophernia

Conventional:

• Basic use of the drugs is to reduce the effects of dopamine which then results in reducded symptoms
• they are dopmaine antagonists in that they bind to the dopamine receptors but do not stimulate them which results in no schizophernic symptoms
• they are useful for eilimiating positvie symptoms

Aytpical:

• also act ont he dopamine system
• thought to aslo block serotonin receptors too
• it has veen suggested that these drugs do not involved serotonin but only the dopamine system mainly d2 receptors
• they temporarily block the d2 receptors and then rapidly re-allow normal dopamine activites
• this drugs are useful for lower levels of side effects such as tardive dyskinsiea

Effectivness

• Davis et al (1980) found a significant difference in terms of relapse rates between treatment and placeo groups in every study reviewed.
• demonstarting the threapeutic effectiveness
• no differrence if you lived in a supportive home only worked if you lived in a hostile environment

Appropriatness

• 30% of people taking this drug develop tardive dyskinsiea and 75% of these cases are irreverisble
• when taking medication it reinforces that fact that there is somethign wrong with you, resulting in lack of motivational behaviour

Effectiveness

• superority of these drugs when compared to conventional was only moderate
• this analysis found that two of the new drugs tested were only slightly better than conentional were as the other two were no better
• that they are meant to be effective with negative effects only has marginal support
• two of the aytpical drugs were slighty effective

Appropraitness

• there is a lower likelihood of developing tardive dyskinesia only 5% develop the condition
• there are fewer side effects too