NURS 6630: Psychopharmacology Approaches to Treat Psychopathology Essay
NURS 6630: Psychopharmacology Approaches to Treat Psychopathology Essay
- Explain the agonist-to-antagonist spectrum of action of psychopharmacologic agents, including how partial and inverse agonist functionality may impact the efficacy of psychopharmacologic treatments.
Agonist and antagonist are essential elements in pharmacology, acting opposite each other. Agonist combines with the receptor cell to produce an action while the antagonist binds at the receptor, blocking it from binding from an agonist. As a chemical element, agonists bind to a cell’s receptor altering its activity while antagonist binds but does not alter its activity. In medication, the antagonist binds on the active site of a drug blocking its action, while the agonist binds at the receptor site of a drug to stimulate action (Berg & Clarke, 2018). An agonist can also act as a compound that mimics a neurotransmitter. In such a case, the antagonist binds to block the action of the neurotransmitter. A partial agonist acts partly as an antagonist because it does not reach the maximum response potential required to stimulate an action. On the other hand, an inverse agonist reduces the number of active receptors. Thus, the actions of partial and inverse agonists reduce the effectiveness of a drug.
- Compare and contrast the actions of g couple proteins and ion gated channels.
G couple proteins (GPCRs) and ion-gated ligands are postsynaptic receptors that bind neurotransmitters. One of the differences between the two receptors is location. The ligand-gated ion is found at skeletal neuromuscular junctions, while G-protein coupled receptors are abundantly distributed, numbering up to 400 receptors (Weir, 2020). Ligand-gated ions are acted upon by the rapid neurotransmitters, for example, acetylcholine, and on the other hand, the GPCRs are acted upon by the slower neurotransmitters, for example, the serotonin and dopamine. Additionally, the receptors differ on the time taken for response; in GPCRs, the response occurs in seconds, while in ion-gated ligands, it takes milliseconds. The response is slower in GPCRs because the coupling mechanism makes them slower in response. Regarding the similarities, both receptors possess an extracellular N-terminus binding domain and are membrane-based receptors.
- Explain how the role of epigenetics may contribute to pharmacologic action.
Epigenetics is the concept that behavior and environmental factors influence a person’s gene expression (Patnaik, 2019). This does not mean that these factors alter the DNA sequence, but they affect how the body interprets the sequence. Epigenetic influence changes that turn the genes on and off depending on the environment and behavioral influences. Thus, they influence protein production and ensure that only the necessary ones are produced. Epigenetic changes differ from one person to another depending on environmental exposure and a person’s habit, such as physical activity. Thus, epigenetics can determine the disease a particular person is likely to have and its reaction to the medication (Patnaik, 2019). For example, epigenetic alterations can reduce the effectiveness of drugs in some people. Studying epigenetics in people with specific diseases such as cancer and psychiatric disorders can inform the development of personalized and effective medications.
ORDER A PLAGIARISM FREE-PAPER HERE
- Implication for best practice
Some patients fail to respond to multiple psychotropics, making it challenging to find an effective treatment. In such cases, epigenetics can be applied to understand the molecular alterations that influence pathology in such a person. As such, a thorough evaluation of a person’s health and social history is critical when prescribing medications. Moreover, testing and understanding epigenetics influence prescription decisions. For example, when working with a patient with drug-resistant depression, it is essential to test epigenetic alterations related to the Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase, which interferes with the production of dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine.
Struggling to meet your deadline ?
Get assistance on
NURS 6630: Psychopharmacology Approaches to Treat Psychopathology Essay
done on time by medical experts. Don’t wait – ORDER NOW!
References
Berg, K. A., & Clarke, W. P. (2018). Making sense of pharmacology: Inverse agonism and functional selectivity. The international journal of Neuropsychopharmacology, 21(10), 962–977. https://doi.org/10.1093/ijnp/pyy071.
Patnaik, S. (2019). Drugs targeting epigenetic modifications and plausible therapeutic strategies against colorectal cancer. Front. Pharmacol, https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2019.00588.
Weir, C. J. (2020). Ion channels, receptors, agonists, and antagonists. Pharmacology, 21(1), 63-68.
ORDER A PLAGIARISM FREE-PAPER HERE
NURS 6630: Psychopharmacology Approaches to Treat Psychopathology
Discussion: Foundational Neuroscience
As a psychiatric nurse practitioner, it is essential for you to have a strong background in foundational neuroscience. In order to diagnose and treat patients, you must not only understand the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders but also how medications for these disorders impact the central nervous system. These concepts of foundational neuroscience can be challenging to understand. Therefore, this Discussion is designed to encourage you to think through these concepts, develop a rationale for your thinking, and deepen your understanding by interacting with your colleagues.
For this Discussion, reflect on the concepts of foundational neuroscience as they might apply to your role as the psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner in prescribing medications for patients. Utilize at least 3 scholarly, peer reviewed sources. Utilize Safe Assign drafts for authenticity report before final submission.
By Day 3 of Week 2
Post a response addressing each of the following:
• Explain the agonist-to-antagonist spectrum of action of psychopharmacologic agents, including how partial and inverse agonist functionality may impact the efficacy of psychopharmacologic treatments.
• Compare and contrast the actions of g couple proteins and ion gated channels.
• Explain how the role of epigenetics may contribute to pharmacologic action.
• Explain how this information may impact the way you prescribe medications to patients. Include a specific example of a situation or case with a patient in which the psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner must be aware of the medication’s action.