Module 73 REVIEW

• 73-1 Why is therapeutic lifestyle change considered an effective biomedical therapy, and how does it work?

• Therapeutic lifestyle change is considered a biomedical therapy because it influences the way the brain responds. Mind and body are a unit; affect one and you will affect the other. Our exercise, nutrition, relationships, recreation, relaxation, and religious or spiritual engagement affect our mental health.
• People who undergo a program of aerobic exercise, adequate sleep, light exposure, social engagement, rumination reduction, and better nutrition have gained relief from depressive symptoms.

• 73-2 What are the drug therapies? How do double-blind studies help researchers evaluate a drug’s effectiveness?

• Psychopharmacology, the study of drug effects on mind and behavior, has helped make drug therapy the most widely used biomedical therapy.
• Antipsychotic drugs, used in treating schizophrenia, block dopamine activity. Side effects may include tardive dyskinesia (with involuntary movements of facial muscles, tongue, and limbs) or increased risk of obesity and diabetes.
• Antianxiety drugs, which depress central nervous system activity, are used to treat anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder. These drugs can be physically and psychologically addictive.
• Antidepressant drugs, which increase the availability of serotonin and norepinephrine, are used for depression, often with modest effectiveness beyond that of placebo drugs. The antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are now used to treat other disorders, including strokes, anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder.
• Lithium and Depakote are mood stabilizers prescribed for those with bipolar disorder.
• Studies may use a double-blind procedure to avoid the placebo effect and researchers’ bias.

• 73-3 How are brain stimulation and psychosurgery used in treating specific disorders?

• Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), in which a brief electric current is sent through the brain of an anesthetized patient, is an effective treatment for people with severe depression who have not responded to other therapy.
• Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) administers a far weaker current to the scalp.
• Newer alternative treatments for depression include repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and, in preliminary clinical experiments, deep-brain stimulation that calms an overactive brain region linked with negative emotions.
• Psychosurgery removes or destroys brain tissue in hopes of modifying behavior.
  • Radical psychosurgical procedures such as the lobotomy were once popular, but neurosurgeons now rarely perform brain surgery to change behavior or moods.
  • Brain surgery is a last-resort treatment because its effects are irreversible.

• 73-4 What is the rationale for preventive mental health programs, and why is it important to develop resilience?

• Preventive mental health programs are based on the idea that many psychological disorders could be prevented by changing oppressive, esteem-destroying environments into more benevolent, nurturing environments that foster growth, self-confidence, and resilience.
• Building resilience might prevent some disorders or even enable posttraumatic growth.

Multiple-Choice Questions

1. Which neurotransmitter is affected by antipsychotic medications?
   1. Epinephrine
   2. Dopamine
   3. Norepinephrine
   4. Acetylcholine
   5. Serotonin
2. Which of the following is most effectively treated with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)?
   1. Psychosis
   2. Schizophrenia
   3. Obsessive-compulsive disorder
   4. Depression
   5. Generalized anxiety disorder
3. Having been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, Patricia has been prescribed _____ to level the highs and lows of the disorder.
   1. Xanax
   2. Lithium
   3. Zoloft
   4. Paxil
   5. Ativan
4. Juliette’s depression is not responding to the normal biomedical treatments. Her therapist has suggested that she try several sessions of _____ to energize her left frontal lobe and reduce her symptoms.
   1. psychosurgery
   2. rTMS
   3. ECT
   4. CBT
   5. REBT

Practice FRQs

1. Francisco has been diagnosed with major depressive disorder. Explain how each of the following might alleviate his symptoms.
   • SSRIs
   • Deep-brain stimulation

Answer

1 point: SSRIs would help alleviate Francisco’s symptoms by making more serotonin available to neurons. By increasing the levels of serotonin, his symptoms should be reduced. Page 754

1 point: Deep-brain stimulation uses implanted electrodes to target an area of the brain where the frontal lobes connect to the limbic system—an area that tends to be overactive in people with depression. Inhibiting negative activity in this way for Francisco should help relieve his symptoms. Page 757

2. Briefly describe four therapeutic lifestyle changes and their mental health benefits.

(4 points)