By: Khadija Bushra

What are Biomedical therapies? Biomedical therapies are physiological interventions that focus on the reduction of symptoms associated with psychological disorders like schizophrenia, anxiety disorder, mood disorder, bipolar disorder, etc.

In Biomedical therapies three types of procedures are done they are;

Drug Therapy (Psych pharmacotherapy) The treatment of mental disorders by medications is called as drug therapy. Therapeutic drugs are further divided into three classes  Antipsychotic drugs  Antidepressant drugs  Antianxiety drugs

Antipsychotic Drugs They are a range of medications that are used for some types of mental distress or disorder - mainly schizophrenia and manic depression(bipolar disorder)They can also be used to help severe anxiety or depression. They help with:  Ideas that distress you and don't seem to be based in reality (delusions).  Difficulty in thinking clearly (thought disorder).

Types of antipsychotic drugs Typical Antipsychotics(first Generation),e.g. Chlorpromazine, Loxapine. Atypical Antipsychotics(Second Generation),e.g. clozapine, olanzapine.

Side Effects of antipsychotics Pharmacotherapy treatment may produce side effects such as drowsiness, constipation, and dry mouth. There also is a side effect called tardive dyskinesia, a potentially irreversible neurological disorder resulting in involuntary and uncontrollable movements, including slurred speech( dysarthria), tremors, anxiety, inability to sit still, inner restlessness, distress and paranoia..

Research has shown that The use of antipsychotic drugs long has been referred to as chemical lobotomy "because they can actually disable normal brain function. Along with brain shrinkage, antipsychotics also can cause Obesity, High Blood Pressure, High Cholesterol and Diabetes. Reference: Patricia O’Meara,Kelly.September,12,2013. Honey, They Shrunk My Brain—Study Confirms Antipsychotics Decrease Brain Tissue. antipsychotics-decrease-brain-tissue/

Effect of Antipsychotics Antipsychotics reduce symptoms of psychotic disorders in about 70% of patients. Antipsychotics show effect gradually, usually patients begin to respond within one to three weeks.

Antidepressants Drugs Antidepressants are the drugs that gradually elevate mood and help bring people out of depression. They are used to;  Moderate severe depressive illness (Not mild depression).  Severe anxiety and panic attacks  Obsessive compulsive disorders(OCDs)

 Eating disorders  Post-traumatic stress disorder(PTSD). Classification of antidepressants There are three classes of Antidepressants:  Monoamine oxidase inhibitors(MAOIs)e.g. Phenelzine (Nardil).  Tricyclics.e.g. amitriptyline (Elavil)  Selective serotonin reuptake Inhibitors(SSRIs)e.g. sertraline (Zoloft), Fluoxetine(Prozac).

Effect of Antidepressants Antidepressants exert their effect gradually in weeks but about 60% of the patients show improvement in first two weeks. Analysis has shown that people with severe depression benefit the most from antidepressants.

Antianxiety Drugs Anti-anxiety drugs, also known as tranquilizers, are medications that relieve tension, apprehension, nervousness and anxiety by slowing down the central nervous system. Some of the most popular drugs are Valium(Diazepam) Xanax(Alprazolam)

Side Effects of Antianxiety drugs Drowsiness Lightheadedness Dry mouth Nauseas Constipation Depression Confusion These drugs also have potential for abuse, drug dependence and overdose.

Electroconvulsive Therapy Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a procedure, done under general anesthesia, in which small electric currents are passed through the brain, intentionally triggering a brief seizure. ECT seems to cause changes in brain chemistry that can quickly reverse symptoms of certain mental illnesses. ECT is used to treat; severe depression that can’t be treated with drugs, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder.

Effects and Side Effects of ECT

Course of ECT ECT is usually given up to three times a week for a total of two to four weeks. And 60-90% of ECT patients show rapid improvement.

Risks and side effects of ECT  Impairment of cognition(lasts for few minutes to several hours)  Memory loss  Medical complications(heart problems, small risk of death)  Physical symptoms( nausea, vomiting, headache, muscle ache, jaw pain).  Relapse rates are very high, study has shown that 64% of patients replaced within 6 months and median time to relapse was 8.6 weeks. However the rate can be reduced by giving the patients Antidepressants.

Psychosurgery Psychosurgery, also called neurosurgery for mental disorder (NMD), is the neurosurgical treatment of mental disorders. It is a surgical procedure designed to change psychological or behavioral reactions by destructing specific areas in the brain. Modern psychosurgical techniques target the pathways between the limbic system (the portion of the brain on the inner edge of the cerebral cortex) that is believed to

regulate emotions, and the frontal cortex, where thought processes are seat ed. Psychosurgery has a high risk of brain damage that is why it is considered more controversial than ECT.

For further information: Visit a YouTube channel “Crash Course”. References: ved=0ahUKEwjl646m0bXJAhWE8RQKHS1AAZgQ_AUIBigB#tbm=isch&q=psychosurgery+today&imgrc=ks qSxhWU2bPNKM%3A ved=0ahUKEwjl646m0bXJAhWE8RQKHS1AAZgQ_AUIBigB#tbm=isch&q=psychosurgery+today&imgrc=ks qSxhWU2bPNKM%3A ved=0ahUKEwjl646m0bXJAhWE8RQKHS1AAZgQ_AUIBigB#tbm=isch&q=antipsychotic+drugs ms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjZz5achbbJAhUD0RQKHcyvCo4Q_AUIBigB ved=0ahUKEwjl646m0bXJAhWE8RQKHS1AAZgQ_AUIBigB#tbm=isch&q=antipsychotic+drugs ms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjZz5achbbJAhUD0RQKHcyvCo4Q_AUIBigB &tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiM7f7QhbbJAhVDSBQKHZIRCmkQ_AUIBigB &tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiM7f7QhbbJAhVDSBQKHZIRCmkQ_AUIBigB KEwjT7eqdhrbJAhWJvxQKHTHvAZ0Q_AUIBigB KEwjT7eqdhrbJAhWJvxQKHTHvAZ0Q_AUIBigB m=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwik6YOJh7bJAhXGWRQKHTB3D6YQ_AUIBigB#tbm=isch&q=drug+therapy+ psychology m=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwik6YOJh7bJAhXGWRQKHTB3D6YQ_AUIBigB#tbm=isch&q=drug+therapy+ psychology