What the exam asks
- Section I (Multiple Choice): Expect client vignettes asking which biological intervention best targets a disorder’s biochemical root, or questions linking a neurotransmitter action (such as blocking dopamine receptors or inhibiting serotonin reuptake) to the correct drug category.
- Section II (AAQ and EBQ): Clinical trials comparing biological treatments, placebo groups, and psychotherapy are classic setups for the Article Analysis Question (AAQ) and Evidence-Based Question (EBQ). You may need to state the operational definition of a symptom scale, evaluate double-blind controls, or use psychopharmacology as your outside psychological concept in EBQ Parts B(ii) and C(ii).
Core ideas
Psychopharmacology (medication therapy)
Psychopharmacology is the study of how drugs affect mind and behavior. Psychoactive medications treat psychological disorders by acting as agonists (increasing neurotransmitter activity, such as by blocking reuptake) or antagonists (decreasing neurotransmitter activity by blocking receptor sites).
| Drug Class | Primary Target Disorders | Neurotransmitter Mechanism | Notable Side Effects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Antidepressants (e.g., SSRIs, SNRIs) | Depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, OCD, PTSD | Agonists: Increase availability of serotonin (and sometimes norepinephrine) by blocking reuptake from the synaptic cleft; also promote neurogenesis. | Dry mouth, weight gain, drowsiness, sexual dysfunction; takes roughly 2–4 weeks to reach full therapeutic effect. |
| Antianxiety drugs (Anxiolytics, e.g., benzodiazepines) | Anxiety disorders | Agonists: Enhance the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA to depress central nervous system arousal. | Drowsiness, slowed reflexes, physiological dependence, severe withdrawal, and dangerous interaction with alcohol. |
| Mood stabilizers (specifically Lithium) | Bipolar disorders | Stabilizes manic and depressive mood swings by regulating glutamate (preventing excessive excitatory firing) and norepinephrine activity. | Narrow therapeutic index requiring blood monitoring; tremors, kidney or thyroid dysfunction, thirst. |
| Antipsychotics (Neuroleptics) | Schizophrenic spectrum disorders | Antagonists: Block dopamine receptor sites to reduce positive symptoms (hallucinations, delusions). Newer atypical antipsychotics also target serotonin to address negative symptoms. | Tardive dyskinesia, sluggishness, muscle tremors, metabolic weight gain. |