Compare the conventional antipsychotic medications with the newer ...

[tsand2]

Compare the conventional antipsychotic medications with the newer drugs in terms of their biochemical dynamics, side effects, and treatment effectiveness.
 
  What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

Compare some major ways that schizophrenia can present (paranoid, catatonic, disorganized, undifferentiated, residual) in terms of symptoms, treatment, and prognosis.
 
  What will be an ideal response?

[mcarey591]

Answer to Question 1

The conventional antipsychotic medications developed in the 1950s are dopamine antagonists and are effective in about 60 percent of patients. The second-generation or atypical antipsychotics may help patients who were previously unresponsive to medications and have fewer side effects. Unfortunately, many patients stop using both classes of medication because of their negative side effects.

Answer to Question 2

Paranoid-type schizophrenia is characterized by delusions and hallucinations that have a theme, typically of grandeur or persecution. They usually do not show disorganized speech or flat affect, and have a better prognosis than people with other forms of schizophrenia.
People with catatonic-type schizophrenia show unusual motor responses, including remaining in fixed positions and engaging in excessive activity, as well as odd facial and physical mannerisms. They may also mimic speech.
Disorganized schizophrenia is marked by disruption in speech and behavior, inappropriate or flat affect, and self-absorption. If delusions or hallucinations occur, they are unorganized and fragmented. This subtype is often chronic and less likely to go into remission.
Undifferentiated-type schizophrenia includes people who have the major symptoms of schizophrenia but do not meet the criteria for the other types.
Residual-type schizophrenia refers to people who have had at least one episode of schizophrenia but who no longer manifest major symptoms of the disease.