10 Sep Jane, so this is a discussion response.

Jane, so this is a discussion response. So it doesn’t need to be long. 2-3 paragraphs with 2 sources. I will post two separate posts and respond to each of them. You can choose if you agree or disagree. It doesn’t matter. Thanks!

Respond to two colleagues in one of the following ways:

1.If your colleagues’ posts influenced your understanding of these concepts, be sure to share how and why. Include additional insights you gained.

2.If you think your colleagues might have misunderstood these concepts, offer your alternative perspective and be sure to provide an explanation for them. Include resources to support your perspective.

First Post (JeanS)

Neurotransmitters are chemicals across the brain in between spaces called synapes that transmits signals to the neurons (Tennison, 2019).

As health care provider understand the psychopharmacology of drug and how they reach their targets brain. pharmacokinetics refers to how the drug moves throughout the body, for example, absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion. As well as, pharmacodynamics is how the body uses the drug that is the effect of the drug on the body (Rosenthal & Burchum, 2018). Neurotransmitters are chemicals across the brain in between spaces called synapes that transmits signals to the neurons.

-The agonist to antagonist spectrum of action of psychopharmacologic agents:

Drug effects are classified as either agonist or antagonist effects. Agonists are drugs that increase the effect of neurotransmitter . An agonist drug can mimic the effects of the neurotransmitter at the receptor itself, or it might stimulate the release of a neurotransmitter or prolong its effectiveness by preventing the neuron’s normal process of eliminating the neurotransmitter once it is used. Because all these potential effects would ultimately enhance the function of the neurotransmitter, they would all be classified as agonist effects. Antagonist effects decrease the functioning of the neurotransmitter. Antagonist effects work by blocking receptor proteins or preventing the storage of neurotransmitters (Tennison, 2019). Most of the drugs used in the treatment of psychological disorders are not prone to abuse, a broad range of other drugs with differing therapeutic purposes and different synaptic functions are. In substance dependence, the effects that a drug produces change across time in two ways. First, tolerance and withdrawal could happen. Second, substance dependence is described by loss of control over use of the substance (Tennison, 2019).

-Example of Situation

Antidepressants are often used to treat patient with depression. The elderly population should be monitored carefully due to physiological and metabolic changes in the body that can affect the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics. Elderly patient is at risk for drug interactions due to polypharmacy. According to the study antidepressant groups (SSRI, TCA, SSNRI, α2-antagonist, SNRI, MAO-inhibitor was used. About 50% of the elderly with major depressive disorder treated with antidepressants improved in symptoms (Gut