Chapter 1

Classical Neurotransmitters and Neuropeptides Involved in Schizoaffective Disorder: Focus on Prophylactic Medication

Felix-Martin Werner and Rafael Coveñas

Abstract

Schizoaffective disorder has a prevalance of 0.5 %. In this disease, psychotic symptoms are combined with affective, i.e. depressive, manic or bipolar symptoms. The disease is encoded in susceptibility genes, which can be enhanced by stresssful life events or psychotomimitic substances. The neurotransmitter and neuropeptide alterations are described in the involved brain regions in schizophrenic and affective symptoms. In these brain regions, neural networks are described including a multi-neurotransmitter system. The coherence between the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and the neurotransmitter alterations will be pointed out. The current pharmacotherapy is reviewed, and some new antipsychotic drugs will be examined critically. The importance of additional sociotherapies and psychoeducaction is underlined, because it enables the schizoaffective patients to be reintegrated into social and perhaps professional lifes.

Total Pages: 3-6 (4)

Purchase Chapter  Book Details

RELATED BOOKS

.Frontiers in Clinical Drug Research - CNS and Neurological Disorders.
.Frontiers in Clinical Drug Research - CNS and Neurological Disorders.
.Neurodegenerative Diseases: Multifactorial Degenerative Processes, Biomarkers and Therapeutic Approaches.
.Frontiers in Clinical Drug Research - CNS and Neurological Disorders.
.Traditional Medicine for Neuronal Health.
.Recent Advances in the Treatment of Neurodegenerative Disorders.
.Alzheimer
.Advances in Alzheimer Research.