Explain the agonist-to-antagonist spectrum of action of psychopharmacologic agents
The agonist-to-antagonist spectrum of action is classified into four groups; the agonist, partial agonist, antagonist, and inverse agonist. An agonist is a chemical agent that binds to a receptor; thus, activating it and eliciting a biological response (Stahl, 2013). On the other hand, an antagonist blocks the action of the agonist, while the inverse agonist elicits a response that is the opposite of the agonist. Therefore, if the agonist opens a channel, the antagonist will close it.
Compare and contrast the actions of g couple proteins and ion gated channels
When opening and closing postsynaptic ion channels, two broad families of receptor proteins perform the required function. First are ionotropic receptors that are directly linked to the ion channels where they combine the transmitter-binding and channel functions in one complex molecule known as ligand-gated ion channels (Purves et al., 2012). The second family is known as the metabotropic receptor, where ion movement depends on one or more metabolic steps. Since there are no ion channels, the channels are controlled by the activation of intermediate molecules known as g-proteins. Neurotransmitters that bind metabotropic receptors activate the g-proteins, which dissociate them from the receptor to interact with the ion channels or bind other effector proteins to open or close the ion channels (Purves et al., 2012).
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Explain the role of epigenetics in pharmacologic action
According to Lundstorm (2015), epigenetic mechanisms, especially the circulating miRNAs, have found application as diagnostic biomarkers. Additionally, the epigenetic regulation of gene activity is useful when treating chronic conditions like cancer and neurodegenerative diseases like schizophrenia and dementia. As a result, there has been growing interest in developing drugs that manage said diseases by regulating epigenetic mechanisms.
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
To a mental health nurse practitioner, understanding the pharmacology of drugs is essential in determining not just what medication to give to a patient but also the dosage. Doing this requires the nurse practitioner to understand the action of the prescription. For instance, when working with patients with Alzheimer’s, understanding the nature of the drugs that regulate epigenetic mechanisms to reduce the degeneration is essential to creating an effective treatment plan.
References
Lundstorm, K. (2015). What is the potential of epigenetics in. Future Medical Chemistry, 7 (3), 239-242. doi:10.4155/FMC.15.2
Purves, D., Augustine, G., & Fitzpatrick, D. (2012). Neuroscience (5th ed.). Sunderland (MA):: Sinauer Associates.
Stahl, S. M. (2013). Ion Channels as Targets of Psychopharmacologic Drug Action. In Stahl’s essential psychopharmacology: Neuroscientific basis and practical applications (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.
