Question 1

Clozapine, risperidone, and olanzapine are atypical antipsychotic medications that have some advantages over the older, typical antipsychotic drugs, such as reducing the revolving door phenomenon and lessening movement-related side effects.

Accepted Answer

Clozapine, risperidone, and olanzapine are considered atypical antipsychotics because they have a lower risk of causing movement-related side effects and have been shown to reduce the likelihood of patients being readmitted to psychiatric hospitals, which is commonly referred to as the revolving door phenomenon.

Question 2

Large-scale studies have demonstrated that the newer antipsychotic medications do not produce greater improvements than the older traditional antipsychotics.

Accepted Answer

Several large-scale studies have shown that both newer and older antipsychotic medications have similar efficacy in improving symptoms of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. While newer medications may have fewer side effects, they do not necessarily provide greater improvements in symptoms compared to older medications.

Question 3

Zoloft, an anticonvulsive, is useful for treating bipolar patients who do not respond to lithium.

Accepted Answer

Zoloft is actually an anti-depressant, not an anticonvulsive, and should not be used as a first-line treatment for bipolar disorder. It is important to consult with a healthcare professional to determine the best treatment approach for bipolar disorder.

Question 4

Although lithium has been used for more than half a century to control the symptoms of bipolar disorder, researchers still have no idea how it works.

Accepted Answer

Researchers have some understanding of how lithium works, including its effects on neurotransmitter regulation, neuroprotection, and modulation of intracellular signaling pathways, although the complete mechanism is not fully understood.

Question 5

Buspar is not a benzodiazepine but is effective for relieving anxiety while allowing the individual to maintain normal alertness.

Accepted Answer

Buspar is actually a non-benzodiazepine medication known as buspirone. It works on different neurotransmitters in the brain than benzodiazepines, but it is still effective for reducing anxiety symptoms. Unlike benzodiazepines, it does not cause sedation or impair cognitive function.

Question 6

An early version of the soft drink 7-Up contained small amounts of lithium, and it was advertised as the drink that "took the ouch out of the grouch!"

Accepted Answer

This statement is true. 7-Up did originally contain small amounts of lithium citrate, which was a mood stabilizer, and it was marketed as having a calming effect. However, the use of lithium in soft drinks was discontinued in the 1950s.

Question 7

Depakote is an anticonvulsant used to treat people who rapidly cycle through bouts of bipolar disorder several times a year.

Accepted Answer

Depakote is indeed an anticonvulsant medication commonly used to treat bipolar disorder, specifically for those who experience rapid cycling of the disorder.

Question 8

Benzodiazepines used to go by the name tranquilizers because they calm jittery feelings, relax the muscles, and promote sleep.

Accepted Answer

Benzodiazepines are often referred to as tranquilizers because they have a sedative effect on the body. They can help calm feelings of anxiety, relax the muscles, and promote sleep.

Question 9

When the first antipsychotic medications came into widespread use in the United States in the late 1950s and early 1960s, there was a sharp drop in the number of people who were hospitalized for mental disorders.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true. The introduction of antipsychotic medications, such as chlorpromazine, revolutionized the treatment of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders, allowing many people to be treated on an outpatient basis and reducing the need for long-term hospitalization.

Question 10

The medication Thorazine and other typical antipsychotic medications work by increasing brain levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine.

Accepted Answer

Thorazine and other typical antipsychotic medications belong to a class of drugs known as dopamine antagonists or dopamine blockers. They work by blocking dopamine receptors in certain areas of the brain, which ultimately leads to an increase in dopamine levels in other areas. The result is a decrease in symptoms of psychosis and other mental disorders that are associated with high levels of dopamine activity in the brain.

Question 11

The first antipsychotic medications effectively reduced both the positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia.

Accepted Answer

The first antipsychotic medications, like chlorpromazine, were primarily effective in reducing positive symptoms of schizophrenia, such as hallucinations and delusions, but were less effective in treating negative symptoms like social withdrawal and lack of motivation.

Question 12

The best-known antianxiety drugs are the benzodiazepines, which can become physically addictive if taken over a long period.

Accepted Answer

Benzodiazepines are known to have the potential for physical dependence and addiction if taken for a long time. It is important to use them only under a doctor's supervision and following the recommended dosage.

Question 13

Originally used to prevent epileptic seizures, Depakote seems to be especially helpful in treating those who rapidly cycle through bouts of bipolar disorder several times a year.

Accepted Answer

Depakote has been found to be particularly effective in treating rapid-cycling bipolar disorder. While it was originally used to prevent epileptic seizures, it has also been approved by the FDA for the treatment of manic and mixed episodes associated with bipolar disorder.

Question 14

The trade name drugs Prozac, Zoloft, and Paxil are all classified as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.

Accepted Answer

Prozac, Zoloft, and Paxil are all categorized as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) used to treat depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions.

Question 15

When the first antipsychotic medications came into widespread use in the United States in the late 1950s and early 1960s, there was a dramatic increase in the number of people who were hospitalized for drug abuse.

Accepted Answer

The statement is false. There was actually a decrease in the number of people hospitalized for drug abuse during this time period as a result of the use of antipsychotic medications. These medications helped individuals with mental illness to better manage their symptoms, reducing the need for substance abuse as a form of self-medication.

Question 16

Lithium seems to control symptoms of both mania and depression by maintaining normal levels of dopamine and serotonin in the brain and increasing levels of glutamate.

Accepted Answer

Lithium primarily stabilizes mood by affecting neurotransmitter systems, but it does not specifically increase glutamate levels. It modulates dopamine and serotonin activity and may influence glutamate signaling, but its exact mechanism is complex and not fully understood.

Question 17

Lithium stabilizes the availability of glutamate within a narrow normal range, preventing both abnormally high and abnormally low levels of the neurotransmitter.

Accepted Answer

Lithium has been shown to modulate the glutamate system in various ways, including reducing glutamate release and enhancing glutamate reuptake, which helps regulate the availability of glutamate within a normal range. This is thought to contribute to lithium's effectiveness in treating bipolar disorder, which has been associated with dysregulated glutamate signaling.

Question 18

After being prescribed one of the typical antipsychotic medications and discharged from a mental hospital, many schizophrenic patients quit taking their medication and had to be rehospitalized, a pattern that is described as the revolving door phenomenon.

Accepted Answer

The statement correctly describes the revolving door phenomenon observed in some schizophrenic patients.

Question 19

Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, and other selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors primarily affect the availability of a single neurotransmitter, serotonin.

Accepted Answer

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) primarily affect the availability of serotonin by blocking its reuptake into presynaptic neurons. This increases the concentration of serotonin in the synaptic cleft and enhances its neurotransmitter activity.

Question 20

Reserpine and chlorpromazine are the generic names for the first two antipsychotic medications that were developed to aid in the treatment of schizophrenia.

Accepted Answer

Reserpine and chlorpromazine were the first two antipsychotic medications developed for the treatment of schizophrenia.

Quiz 14: Therapies