A Microdose is a medication given at less than 1/100th of a dose to yield an effect. Studies on this are safe because they are in such limited amounts.

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Psychopharmacology is the study of medications as a treatment for mental disorders. This includes understanding:

1. Protein binding

2. Half-life

3. Polymorphic genes

4. Drug - to - drug Interactions

Psychopharmacology

Sugiyama, Y., &amp; Yamashita, S. (2010, October 13). Impact of microdosing clinical study - why necessary and how useful? Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews. Retrieved May 8, 2022, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0169409X10001882?casa_token=XSqoYLXdROgAAAAA%3ABCJiV392UsdSpr9V7J5agHkhpncwNIPuDOW0XA814eAqKchOcEzyGMTPbVl-p-ttHuuKBCgxAoxB 

Impact of Microdosing Clinical Study - why and how useful?

Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020, April 22). Psychology (2nd ed.). OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/1-introduction

OpenStax Psychology (2nd ed.) Textbook

Antipsychotics are a drug class used to treat psychosis and other related disorders, such as schizophrenia. There are two types of antipsychotics: first-generation or typical antipsychotics include drugs like haloperidol, and second-generation or atypical antipsychotics include drugs like risperidone. Common brand names include Haldol, Mellaril, Prolixin, and Thorazine.

Antipsychotics

Antidepressants are psychotropic medications prescribed to alleviate symptoms of mood disorders like depression and anxiety. They work by addressing chemical imbalances of neurotransmitters in the brain. Different types of antidepressants target different neurotransmitters; for example, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) increase the availability of serotonin, while serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) elevate the levels of both serotonin and norepinephrine. Common SSRIs include Prozac and Zoloft, while tricyclics include Tofranil and Elavil.

Antidepressants

A type of psychotropic medication prescribed for anxiety and agitation that occur in OCD, PTSD, panic disorder, and social phobia. Common brand names include benzodiazepines such as alprazolam (Xanax) and lorazepam (Ativan), and diazepam (Valium).  They work as GABA agonists. GABA is a neurotransmitter responsible for the suppression of brain activity which assuages anxiety. Other medications such as buspirone (Buspar), antihistamines, and beta-blockers can also be used as anxiolytics to treat the physiological symptoms of anxiety such as racing heart.

Anxiolytics/Anti-Anxiety Agents

Drug-Drug interactions are when two different/similar types of drugs interact with one another. This can cause unpredictable side effects. 

Drug to drug interactions

- Psychotherapeutics

- Opioids

- Depressants

- Marijuana

- Hallucinogens

- Stimulants

- Nicotine


Psychoactive Drugs

Microdosing

Antidepressants are a kind of drug that works to alleviate symptoms of depression. They come in multiple different classes, such as SSRIs, SNRIs, MAOIs, TCAs, and NaSSAs, most of which work on increasing the efficacy of serotonin or norepinephrine. Most antidepressants take a few weeks in order to reach full effect.  

What are Antidepressants

The classic definition: A compound that has clinical antipsychotic efficacy while producing minimal catalepsy. 
Now: An atypical agent is now seen as an agent that 

1. decreased propensity to produce catalepsy or other movement disorders, 

2. does not elevate prolactin concentrations, 

3. significantly reduced positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia.

Atypical Antipsychotics - What is an atypical Antipsychotic?

Low threshold responders are individuals who experience a type of drug hypersensitivity that causes amplified or abnormal effects from medications and psychoactive substances which are caused by biological and genetic sensitivities. These individuals have abnormal responses to antidepressants, antipsychotics, stimulants, sedatives, and recreational substances like caffeine, alcohol, cannabis, and psychedelics. Unlike general adverse drug reactions which can be sudden and unexpected, low threshold responders have a predictable pattern of intolerance to multiple substances due to neurotransmitter imbalances, slowed metabolism, or receptor sensitivity. 

The biggest cause of this is due to mutations in specific genes that regulate dopamine, serotonin, or other neurotransmitter responses, especially when given anything that changes the levels of neurotransmitters in the brain. These individuals are often mislabeled as treatment resistant as they may develop an intolerance to substances that impact neurotransmission or may have a heightened response to these substances.

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