350
P A R T 4
Drugs acting on the central and peripheral nervous systems
CHAPTER SUMMARY
■■
Schizophrenia, the most common psychosis, is
characterised by delusions, hallucinations and
inappropriate responses to stimuli.
■■
Mania is a state of hyperexcitability, one pole of
bipolar disorder.
■■
An attention-deficit disorder is a behavioural
syndrome characterised by hyperactivity and a short
attention span.
■■
Narcolepsy is a disorder characterised by daytime
sleepiness and sudden loss of wakefulness.
■■
Lithium, a membrane stabiliser, is the standard
antimanic drug. Because it is a very toxic salt, serum
levels must be carefully monitored to prevent severe
toxicity. Many other CNS drugs are now approved
for use in bipolar disorder.
■■
CNS stimulants, which stimulate cortical levels and
the RAS to increase RAS activity, are used to treat
attention-deficit disorders and narcolepsy. These
drugs improve concentration and the ability to filter
and focus incoming stimuli.
Knowing your strengths and weaknesses helps you to
study more effectively. Take a PrepU Practice Quiz
to find out how you measure up!
ONLINE RESOURCES
An extensive range of additional resources to enhance teaching
and learning and to facilitate understanding of this chapter may
be found online at the text’s accompanying website, located on
thePoint at
These include Watch and
Learn videos, Concepts in Action animations, journal articles,
review questions, case studies, discussion topics and quizzes.
WEB LINKS
Healthcare providers and students may want to consult
the following Internet sources:
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, National
Health Priority Area—Mental Health.
/publishing.nsf/Content/doha-pol-national-mental-
hlth-strat-1
Australian Government National Mental Health
Strategy.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
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Diagnostic and Statistical
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