Antidepressants

Paper Summary:

The paper discusses antidepressants, a group of psychoactive medications that alleviate the signs and symptoms of mood disorders. The paper examines the prevailing theory of mood disorders and the psychopharmacologic effectiveness of anti-depressants. The paper looks at precautions and side effects in patients taking antidepressants and discusses the assessment of clinical progress.

From the Paper:

"Antidepressants are a group of psychoactive medications that alleviate the signs and symptoms of mood disorders with a pre-dominantly depressive mood. By this definition, mood disorders such as bipolar disorders are medically managed differently. An understanding of the major mechanisms of action of these drugs can be best understood through understanding the pathogenesis of mood disorders. The prevailing theory of mood disorders, particularly major depressive disorder, lies in the imbalance of neurotransmitters in the brain, particularly the decrease in the monoamines serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine, although the former has been the target of most psychopharmacotherapies."

Sample of Sources Used:

• American Psychiatric Association [APA]. (2000). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision. BehaveNet.com. Retrieved November 1, 2006 from http://www.behavenet.com/capsules/disorders/mjrdepd.htm
• Bhalla, RN & Aronson, SC. (2006). Depression. eMedicine.com. Retrieved November 1, 2006 from http://www.emedicine.com/med/topic532.htm
• Victor, M & Ropper, AH. (2001). Adams and Victor's Principles of Neurology, (7th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

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