Psychiatry Pharmacology

Psychiatric medications modify behavior by changing neurotransmission in specific brain circuits — primarily the prefrontal cortex and limbic system.

• Serotonin — mood, anxiety, obsessions
• Dopamine — reward, motivation, psychosis
• Norepinephrine — attention, arousal, energy
• GABA — inhibition, calming
• Glutamate — excitation, cognition

Understanding the imbalance predicts the medication choice.

• Major Depressive Disorder
• Treatment-Resistant Depression

• Bipolar Disorder
• Mood Stabilizers

• Generalized Anxiety Disorder
• Panic Disorder
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
• PTSD
• Social Anxiety

• Schizophrenia
• Antipsychotics

• ADHD
• Stimulants
• Non-Stimulant ADHD Medications

• Insomnia
• Z-Drugs
• Melatonin & Circadian Agents

• SSRIs
• SNRIs
• TCAs
• MAO Inhibitors
• Atypical Antidepressants

• Benzodiazepines
• Buspirone
• Hydroxyzine

• Lithium
• Anticonvulsant Mood Stabilizers

• First-Generation Antipsychotics
• Second-Generation Antipsychotics

1. Identify symptom cluster 2. Identify neurotransmitter imbalance 3. Choose drug class 4. Choose specific medication

Do NOT memorize drugs first.

• Psychiatry Lectures
• Neurologic Pharmacology