Essays on Monoamine Oxidase

Parkinson’s disease lacks a cure but certain medicines can help manage the symptoms. These medications function to offer a substitute for dopamine, the signaling neurotransmitter in the brain. Carbidopa-levodopa is hitherto the most effective medicine to manage Parkinson’s disease. This chemical moves to the brain and is converted to dopamine. The chemical levodopa is mixed with carbidopa preventing it from being converted to dopamine prematurely out of the brain hence potential side effects such as nausea are lessened. Potential side effects with this medication however include orthostatic hypotension or feeling light headed and nausea. With continued use ...

Assignment 2

PART A - (Total 15 marks)

Cephalexin and Gentamicin The mechanism of action of amoxicillin is focused on the prevention of the synthesis of the bacteria’s cell wall through the binding and inhibiting of the cell wall transpeptidases (Katzung, Masters, and Trevor, 2012). Specifically, it attaches to the penicillin-binding protein 1A found in the cell wall of bacteria. Then, the agent disintegrates the lactam ring to allow the acylation of the penicillin-sensitive transpeptidase C-terminal domain. The formation of the cross-link of the linear peptidoglycan strands is prevented by the inactivation of transpeptidases. Since the third and last stage ...

Introduction

Depression is a disease affecting a large part of the population today. Though many people experience sadness from time to time, depression is a much more complex disease. It affects a person’s daily life and often results in physical pain. Unlike the occasional feelings of sadness that fade away, depression lasts longer (NIMH, 2014). Biopsychology involves the scientific study of the relationship between behavior and biology (Green, 2013). In the study of their relationship, biology and behavior mostly interact in the brain and nervous system. It will also apply to the analysis of depression in relation to the biology; this study ...

Introduction

It is very common to hear of the term “risk factor” in epidemiology as well as in criminal behavior studies. In general, sense, a risk factor is a term used to refer to a variable that is associated with an alleviated risk of infection, disease or disorder. The number of identified diseases, disorders and infections are very large and consequently; the number of risk factors that increase the susceptibility to them is large. Each disease, infection or disorder has its own set of risk factors. However, some risks factors that have been found apply in all three aspects mentioned above. This paper ...

Introduction

Amphetamine is a stimulant of the Central Nervous System (CNS) commonly used in the treatment of Attention Deficiency Disorder (ADD) (Rasmussen, 2008). The drug, which also goes by the names “Uppers” or “Speed” is also, used to suppress appetite and fatigue, increase feelings of alertness, self-confidence, and energy (Healey, 2007). These effects endear amphetamines for use as an ergogenic drugs. Ergogenic drugs are those substances that athletes use to boost sporting performance. Though amphetamine can enhance sporting performance, its side effects can cause serious health effects and as such, the drug should not be used as an ergogenic aid. ...

Human behaviour is a complex topic because it is determined by various biological, social, and psychological factors. Depending on the factors influencing behaviour, a human being may act in a certain way without knowing why they had acted in such a manner. In Brain on Trial, David Eagleman explains the relationship that exists between neuroscience and criminal acts, and how this information can be used to build a better society with a justice system that is not ignorant of the facts of advances in brain science (121-123). This information can better equip those in the justice system to understand better why crimes occur and may ...

Rasagiline and selegiline are two drugs used clinically to treat early-stage Parkinson ’s disease PD. They are both monoamine oxidase inhibitors that have shown to be effective at slowing the progression of PD. An exhaustive literature search did not reveal any trials that directly compared the efficacy of rasagiline and selegiline. As such, in this review, the efficacy of both agents was evaluated individually and results were then synthesized to determine if either agent is superior in the initial management of early PD in adults. Five clinical trials (four RCTs, one non-blinded open label trial) evaluated the neuroprotecive ...

Psychiatric Disorders, Diseases and Drugs

There are many ways of defining, categorizing and treating psychological disorders and mental diseases. They sometimes fall in overlapping categories and hence, it is best to describe them with distinction as to their general and well-defined medical characteristics as well as their theoretical origins and causes and the prescribed medicines used to treat patients with these disorders. The most common psychological disorders are the following: 1. Schizophrenia Schizophrenia is a complicated psychological disorder and is often referred to as a “living nightmare.” (Myers, 2009) It has various symptoms which overlap with other mental diseases and neurological disorders i.e. epilepsy. ...

Depression is a common disease which causes the patient to suffer from behaviors and thoughts which are negative and also by certain changes in bodily activities. These physical changes are called neurovegetative signs like body aches, crying spells, low libido, insomnia and weight fluctuations. There are different kinds of depressive disorders like manic depression, clinical depression, dysthymic disorder, postpartum depression, chronic depression and others. There are no specific causes of depression, it is caused by a combination of factors which are psychological, biochemical, genetic and environmental (Lunbeck Institute 2). It is therefore a complex disorder which has no specific treatment which is ...