Schizophrenia

?
The genetic risk of schizophrenia
1% in general population rises to 50% risk if one has an affected twin
1 of 23
Possible environmental risks for scizophrenia?
Prenatal infection, malnutrition, cannabis exposure, urban living, stress in adolescence
2 of 23
What is the dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia?
Dopamine hyperactivity underlies positive symptoms
3 of 23
Drug evidence for the dopamine hypothesis
Amphetamine, L-Dopa can cause psychotic symptoms. Effective antipsychotics block d2 receptors in the brain, and affinity for D2 receptors correlate with clinical potency of drug.
4 of 23
Genetic evidence for the dopamine hypothesis
Associations in the dopaminergic system includng DRD2, DRD3, BDNF, COMT
5 of 23
Post-mortem evidence for DA hypothesis
Increased number of D2 dopamine receptors in schizophrenic brain at post mortem
6 of 23
Define typical and atypical antispychotics
Typical - developed pre-1980s, atypical - 1980s onwards
7 of 23
Two typical antipsychotic drugs
Chlorpromazine and Haloperidol
8 of 23
Mechanism of action of typical antipsychotics
act as agonists at D2 receptor.
9 of 23
Bad things about the typical antipsychotics
Only the positive symptoms are tackled, and there is a lag in clinical relief, Side effects
10 of 23
Side effects of typical antipsychotics
Sedation (H1 block), Hypotension (a-adrenoreceptor block), anticholinergic effects, And side effects due to widespread D2 blockade
11 of 23
Side effects of D2R blockade
Mesolimbic - overactive in Sz. Tuberoinfundibular pathway - increase prolactin secretion leading to gynaecomastia. Nigrostriatal pathway = extrapyramidal side effects
12 of 23
Examples of reversible extrapyramidal side effects
Dystonia, parkinson's like symptoms. 20% of patients
13 of 23
An example of a possibly permanant side effect
Tardive dyskinesia, possibly due to dopamine overactivity, compensatory D2 upregulation
14 of 23
Two Atypical anti psychotic drugs
Clozapine and Olanzapine
15 of 23
What receptors do the atypical antipsychotics block
5-HT, DA-D4.
16 of 23
What is the effect of blocking the D2 and D4 receptors
Combats positive symptoms, d4 is not found in nigrostriatal pathway so less extrapyramidal pathway
17 of 23
How are negative symptoms addressed
5HT2-R Blockade may underlie this, more research is needed
18 of 23
Side effects of atypical antipsychotics
Sedation, hypotension, anticholinergic effets as per typicals, weight gain and insulin resistance
19 of 23
Another important side effect
Leucopenia or agranulocytosis, reversible fatal loss of neutrophils, basophils and eosinophils. Seen w clozapine. Rare idiosyncratic event seen in 1-2% of patients in first few weeks.
20 of 23
Another mechanism proposed by drugs in development
Glutamate hypoactivity
21 of 23
Genetic associates for glutaminergic involvement
GRIN1 - a NMDAR1 subunit. NRG1, neuregulin, controls expression of glutamate.
22 of 23
Mice experiements for glutamate involvement
NMDA-R knockdown shows stereotyped beh that can be reversed with antipsychotics. Pencyclidine mimics positive and negative symptoms
23 of 23

Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

Possible environmental risks for scizophrenia?

Back

Prenatal infection, malnutrition, cannabis exposure, urban living, stress in adolescence

Card 3

Front

What is the dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia?

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

Drug evidence for the dopamine hypothesis

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

Genetic evidence for the dopamine hypothesis

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
View more cards

Comments

No comments have yet been made

Similar Biology resources:

See all Biology resources »See all Pharmacology resources »