Week 1 Discussion
NURS 6630 – Psychopharmacologic
Approaches to Treatment of
Psychopathology Discussions and
Assignments
Week 1 Discussion
Discussion: Foundational Neuroscience
1. Explain the agonist-to-antagonist spectrum of action of
psychopharmacologic agents.
The spectrum of agonists to antagonists describes how substances,
either occurring naturally (ligand) or synthetically such as
psychopharmacologic agent, effect receptor sites (Stahl, 2008). The
agonists are agents can increase an action on the receptor by
mimicking a naturally occurring agent (Strange, 2008). An antagonist
acts by blocking the receptor site to decrease the action of agents
(Strange, 2008). Substances can also be partial agonists, which is an
action that ranges between full agonist and full antagonist. Instead of
increasing an action to the maximum level or blocking the action
completely, it is an action that is somewhere in between the two levels
, (Strange, 2008). Many psychopharmacologic agents work by acting on
G-protein-linked systems and ion-channel systems because these are
triggered by neurotransmitters (Stahl, 2008).
1. Compare and contrast the actions of g couple proteins and
ion gated channels.
G protein-coupled and ion-gated channels are both triggered by
neurotransmitters (Stahl, 2008). G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs)
have seven transmembrane alpha helices (Strange, 2008). G proteins
have three subunits (alpha, beta, and gamma). Ion-gated channels can
be activated by electrical signals and neurotransmitters (Stahl, 2008).
Ion-gated channels change the flow of ions, causing an almost-
immediate effect and GPCRs take longer to work because they may
make changes to cellular function over time (Stahl, 2008).
1. Explain the role of epigenetics in pharmacologic action.
Epigenetics is the study of gene expression, or which genes are turn
off or on (Stahl, 2008). Pharmacologic actions can turn genes on or off
to gain a desired effect. Epigenetic regulation of brain functions is
important in the etiology of psychiatric disorders (Boks, et al., 2012).
Epigenetic mechanisms, such as DNA methylation and histone
acetylation, are affected by many pharmaceuticals, including
psychiatric drugs (Boks, et al., 2012).
1. Explain how this information may impact the way you
prescribe medications to clients. Include a specific example
of a situation or case with a client in which the psychiatric
mental health nurse practitioner must be aware of the
medication’s action.
Thorough knowledge of how medications work will allow the nurse
practitioner to prescribe the best medication for the client. For
example, knowing that many anxiolytics work on inotropic receptors
and will work very quickly to calm a client in an acute situation rather
than prescribing an antidepressant that works on GPCRs and will take
much longer to help with an acute episode.
As a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, it is essential for
you to have a strong background in foundational neuroscience. In
NURS 6630 – Psychopharmacologic
Approaches to Treatment of
Psychopathology Discussions and
Assignments
Week 1 Discussion
Discussion: Foundational Neuroscience
1. Explain the agonist-to-antagonist spectrum of action of
psychopharmacologic agents.
The spectrum of agonists to antagonists describes how substances,
either occurring naturally (ligand) or synthetically such as
psychopharmacologic agent, effect receptor sites (Stahl, 2008). The
agonists are agents can increase an action on the receptor by
mimicking a naturally occurring agent (Strange, 2008). An antagonist
acts by blocking the receptor site to decrease the action of agents
(Strange, 2008). Substances can also be partial agonists, which is an
action that ranges between full agonist and full antagonist. Instead of
increasing an action to the maximum level or blocking the action
completely, it is an action that is somewhere in between the two levels
, (Strange, 2008). Many psychopharmacologic agents work by acting on
G-protein-linked systems and ion-channel systems because these are
triggered by neurotransmitters (Stahl, 2008).
1. Compare and contrast the actions of g couple proteins and
ion gated channels.
G protein-coupled and ion-gated channels are both triggered by
neurotransmitters (Stahl, 2008). G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs)
have seven transmembrane alpha helices (Strange, 2008). G proteins
have three subunits (alpha, beta, and gamma). Ion-gated channels can
be activated by electrical signals and neurotransmitters (Stahl, 2008).
Ion-gated channels change the flow of ions, causing an almost-
immediate effect and GPCRs take longer to work because they may
make changes to cellular function over time (Stahl, 2008).
1. Explain the role of epigenetics in pharmacologic action.
Epigenetics is the study of gene expression, or which genes are turn
off or on (Stahl, 2008). Pharmacologic actions can turn genes on or off
to gain a desired effect. Epigenetic regulation of brain functions is
important in the etiology of psychiatric disorders (Boks, et al., 2012).
Epigenetic mechanisms, such as DNA methylation and histone
acetylation, are affected by many pharmaceuticals, including
psychiatric drugs (Boks, et al., 2012).
1. Explain how this information may impact the way you
prescribe medications to clients. Include a specific example
of a situation or case with a client in which the psychiatric
mental health nurse practitioner must be aware of the
medication’s action.
Thorough knowledge of how medications work will allow the nurse
practitioner to prescribe the best medication for the client. For
example, knowing that many anxiolytics work on inotropic receptors
and will work very quickly to calm a client in an acute situation rather
than prescribing an antidepressant that works on GPCRs and will take
much longer to help with an acute episode.
As a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, it is essential for
you to have a strong background in foundational neuroscience. In
