"Explain the agonist-to-antagonist spectrum of action" Discussion (Essay Sample)

1) Explain the agonist-to-antagonist spectrum of action of psychopharmacologic agents, including how partial and inverse agonist functionality may impact the efficacy of psychopharmacologic treatments.
The psychopharmacological treatment agents for each forthcoming condition concerning how they are prescribed thus, each psychopharmacological agent treatment option can function as either an agonist or an antagonist. Through numerous options from the ligands, receptors, biological pathways, etc., there are several possibilities for therapeutics and treatments for disorders and diseases to determine the best treatment option based on an individual. The result that psychotropic drugs have on specific molecular sites causes an influence in neurotransmission. Psychopharmacological agents that function as either an agonist or an antagonist cause an impact on the neurotransmitters to function at the receptor site on a post-synaptic neuron. An agonist is a molecule that has effects similarity of a neurotransmitter through binding and stimulating the receptor site to produce a response whilst an antagonist opposes the agonist outcome by blocking the action of the neurotransmission. The agonist and antagonist spectrum consists of a full, partial, silent, and inverse antagonist. When the receptor has a resting state then the partial agonist occurs while the silent antagonist causes the receptor to change and the ion channels closing. The determination of the interaction with the targeted receptor depends on where a psychopharmacological drug is on the agonist-to-antagonist spectrum. Ion flow and signal transduction are required for the ideal therapeutic drug action that is not too hot neither too cold and has the right balance.
2) Compare and contrast the actions of g couple proteins and ion gated channels.
There are two broad families of receptors performing their function in the closing and opening of the postsynaptic ion channels. The ionotropic receptor is the receptor in one family that is linked directly to ion channels which have two functional domains where the first one being an extracellular site that binds the neurotransmitter while the second one being the membrane-spanning domain to form an ion channel. Hence, the inotropic receptors combine the channel functions and the transmitter-binding altogether into a single molecular entity which are known as the ligand-gated ion channels. According to Purves et al., some receptors are comprised of either four of five individual proteins sub-unit whereas each of them plays a significant role in the ion channel pore. The metabotropic receptor is the second family of neurotransmitters in which the ion movement depends upon one or more metabolic steps. There are no ion channels in these receptors however channels are affected by the intermediate molecules activation known as the G-proteins. In line with this, metabotropic receptors are also denoted as the G-protein-coupled receptors.
3) Explain how the role of epigenetics may contribute to pharmacologic action.
According to Lundstrom, the study of heritable but reversible changes in gene expression without any modifications of the primary DNA sequence is defined as Epigenetics. It has proven useful as diagnostic biomarkers concerning the drug development epigenetic mechanisms and also the therapeutic applications have become an alternative feasible approach because of the epigenetic modification reversible nature.
4) Explain how this information may impact the way you prescribe medications to patients. Include a specific example of a situation or case with a patient in which the psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner must be aware of the medication's action.
A psychiatric mental health practitioner needs to have a strong neuroscience foundation background to treat and diagnose clients in which you must not limit your knowledge and understanding of the psychiatric disorder’s pathophysiology but also how