Introduction to CNS Psychopharmacology

Study sheet excerpt

Course Outline

  1. CNS Drugs Overview
  2. Mental Health Disorders
  3. Antidepressant Mechanisms
  4. Types of Antidepressants
  5. Antidepressant Side Effects
  6. Anxiolytic Mechanisms
  7. Types of Anxiolytics
  8. Anxiolytic Side Effects
  9. Antipsychotic Mechanisms
  10. Types of Antipsychotics
  11. Antipsychotic Side Effects
  12. Drug Interactions

1. CNS Drugs Overview

Key Concepts & Definitions

  • CNS Drugs: Pharmacological agents that target the brain and spinal cord to modify mood, perception, or behavior, used in treating mental health disorders.
  • Neurotransmitters: Chemical messengers such as serotonin, norepinephrine, dopamine, and GABA that transmit signals across synapses; their modulation is central to CNS drug action.
  • Mechanism of Action: The specific biochemical interaction through which a drug produces its effect, such as receptor binding or enzyme inhibition.
  • Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs): A class of antidepressants that block serotonin reuptake, increasing its availability in the synaptic cleft.
  • Extrapyramidal Symptoms (EPS): Movement disorders, including tremors and rigidity, caused by dopamine blockade, common with first-generation antipsychotics.
  • Serotonin Syndrome: A potentially life-threatening condition caused by excessive serotonergic activity, characterized by mental status changes, autonomic hyperactivity, and neuromuscular abnormalities.

Essential Points

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Quiz preview

1. What are CNS drugs primarily used for?

2. What is the primary action of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)?

3. What is the approximate global prevalence of mental health disorders as mentioned in the content?

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Flashcards preview

GABA — role?

Primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the CNS.

CNS Drugs — definition?

Target brain/spinal cord to modify mood, behavior.

SSRIs — mechanism?

Block serotonin reuptake, increasing its synaptic levels.

Neurotransmitters — role?

Transmit signals across synapses.

Benzodiazepines — side effects?

Dependence, sedation, cognitive impairment.

Mechanism of Action — meaning?

Biochemical process producing drug's effect.

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