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Psychopharmacology: Mood Stabilizers

Terms in this set (36)

Original definition of a mood stabilizer?
drug that treated mania; preventing recurrence of mania
Modern definition of mood stabilizer
"something that acts like lithium"

"an anticonvulsant used to treat bipolar disorder"

"an atypical antipsychotic to treat bipolar"
antidepressants are known as
"mood destabilizers"
Rather than mood stabilizer it would be prudent to argue to treat
all four phases of illness
"mania minded" drugs
treat from above to reduce mania

"stabilize from above to prevent relapse and recurrence"
"depression minded" drugs
treat from below to improve symptoms of bipolar depression and prevent relapse and reccurence

"stabilize from below"
How are treat from above and stabilize from above different?
Treatment would imply full mania

stabilize would imply mania like sympatmology ; perhaps not full blown mania
Lithium
a classic mood stabilizer; been around for 50 years

=> mechanism unclear, perhaps involves second measures in the phosphatidyl inositol system

=> inhibition of GSK and protein Kinase C?
This drug is well established in preventing suicide in patients with mood disorders?
Lithium
Why has lithium declined?
New options have become available

Side effects and monitoring sucks
Lithium uses?
Bipolar

=> Theoretically slow Alzheimers
What are side effects of lithium?
GI upset, dyspepsia, nausea, vomit, diarrhea, weight gain, hair loss, acne, tremor, sedation, decreased cognition, incoordination

=> Thyroid and Kidney
How is lithium used in modern times?
=> dose at lower end, and combine with other mood stabilizers
What is the idea of kindling and mania?
Manic episodes will contribute to future manic episodes more frequently developing

This follows the kindling concept of seizures and suggested the use of anticonvulsantes as treatment
Carbamazepine and Valproate
=> Effective anticonvulsants treating manic phase of disorder

=> Not all Anticonvulsants are made equal
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