Describe two medical treatments for depression.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Sample Answer: Four basic types of antidepressant medications are used to treat depressive disorders: selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), mixed reuptake inhibitors, tricyclic antidepressants, and monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors. It is important to note that there are few, if any, differences in effectiveness among the different antidepressants; approximately 50% of patients receive some benefits, with about half of the 50% coming very close to normal functioning (remission). SSRIs specifically block the presynaptic reuptake of serotonin. This temporarily increases levels of serotonin at the receptor site, but again the precise long-term mechanism of action is unknown, although levels of serotonin are eventually increased. When someone does not respond to medication (or in an extremely severe case), clinicians may consider a more dramatic treatment, electroconvulsive therapy(ECT), the most controversial treatment for psychological disorders after psychosurgery. Electric shock is administered directly through the brain for less than a second, producing a seizure and a series of brief convulsions that usually lasts for several minutes. In current practice, treatments are administered once every other day for a total of 6 to 10 treatments (fewer if the patient's mood returns to normal). Side effects are generally limited to short-term memory loss and confusion that disappear after a week or two, although some patients may have long-term memory problems. For severely depressed patients with psychotic features, controlled studies indicate that approximately 50 percent of those not responding to medication will benefit. Continued treatment with medication or psychotherapy is then necessary because the relapse rate approaches 60% or higher.