Psychopharmacology Scavenger Hunt Concept Map Doctor of Nursing Practice, Walden University NURS-6630: Psychopharmacologic Approaches to Treatment of Psychopathology

1 Psychopharmacology Scavenger Hunt Concept Map Doctor of Nursing Practice, Walden University NURS-6630: Psychopharmacologic Approaches to Treatment of Psychopathology

Professor Katherine Lesley Gryzenia March 6th ,2024 

Introduction The agonist spectrum comprises four agonists: full agonists, partial agonists, antagonists, and inverse agonists (Accordino et al., 2016). Every agonist usually has unique features or traits mediating different genetic activities. However, drugs should always be classified based on their interaction with body receptors, categorizing them as agonists or antagonists. It is crucial to note that agonists are those substances that activate body receptors, while antagonists tend to block the receptors. This study source was downloaded by 100000898494836 from CourseHero.com on 06-05-2025 11:36:33 GMT -05:00 3 Full Agonists: Full agonists are drugs which can generate a maximum response that the target system is capable of. Characteristics: These drugs mimic the behavioral actions of endogenous ligands through initiating signal cascades, which control different types of biological functions in the body. Binds to and activates receptors. Mechanism: Tends to activate the downstream signaling pathways. Receptor: Binds to the orthosteric receptor site. Medications: Oxycodone, Amphetamine. A good example of a full agonist is oxycodone drug. This is an opioid receptor agonist drug that targets mu-opioid receptors in the central nervous system. When it comes to conducting with these receptors, it generates analgesia which hinders the dissemination of pain signals in the body (Kibaly et al., 2021). Some of the side effects associated with the administration of this drug are euphoria, respiratory depression, and sedation feelings. AGONIST SPECTRUM Partial Agonists: Partial agonists are compounds that can bind receptors and activate them; however, they cannot achieve the maximal response that the body system has. Their efficiency is slightly lower than full agonists (Keks et al., 2020). Characteristic: The primary characteristic of this type of agonist is that it has both agonistic and antagonistic properties, which rely on aspects like receptor occupancy and availability of endogenous glands. Mechanism: Competes with the full agonists during receptor binding. The maximal efficiency of partial compounds is associated with many probable mechanisms. Receptor: Binds with the receptor orthosteric site. Medication: Examples of partial agonist drugs are Brexipiprazole and Aripiprazole, which are used to treat schizophrenia. These two drugs are partial agonists of the dopamine D2 receptors, and most of the time, they interact with serotonin 5-HT1A receptors after administration. When administered to patients, they stabilize the adverse effects of dopaminergic neurotransmission, and through that, they successfully manage to treat bipolar and schizophrenia. Inverse agonists: Inverse agonists are ligands that generate the opposite of the outcome that should be produced through binding to a receptor. Characteristics: When an agonist binds to the same receptor is applied, it generates a negative pharmacological outcome (Jetlen & Cook, 2020). Inverse agonists are primarily used to treat opium substance abuse, anxiety, and gastrointestinal disorders. Mechanism: Stabilizes inactive conformation of receptors. Receptor: Binds with the receptor’s orthosteric site. Medication: Examples of inverse agonist drugs are Naloxone and pimavanserin. Naloxone is used to treat opium addiction because it can reverse the unfavorable adverse effects of opioid overdose through binding mu-opioid receptors (De los Cobos et al., 2018). Antagonists: These compounds bind receptors but do not activate them. Characteristics: They block receptors and inhibit other agonists from activating them. Antagonist spectrums are vital in the pharmacological process because they deter the use of specific paths of signals and modulate biological responses in the body. They also prevent agonists from binding and activating receptors. Mechanism: Competes with agonists. Receptor: Binds with the receptors. Medication: Examples of antagonist drugs are Haloperidol and Risperidone, which act as dopamine D2 receptors. These drugs are used to treat schizophrenia and other mental ailments. Haloperidol blocks dopaminergic neurotransmission in the central nervous system (CNS), while risperidone modulates dopaminergic and erotogenic neurotransmission by inhibiting the transmission of serotonin 5HT2A into the receptors. This study source was downloaded by 100000898494836 from CourseHero.com on 06-05-2025 11:36:33 GMT -05:00 4 Conclusion In summary, drugs can be only classified as agonists or antagonists. This significantly offers a better mechanism for fathoming their mechanisms and how they can be applied in a clinical setting. These drugs also tend to exert various interactions with various body receptors, which influences