For this assignment, a response to a colleague’s post is needed from a class discussion that was assigned. Based on my colleague’s response, I am to respond with one of the followings:
- If your colleagues’ posts influenced my understanding of these concepts, be sure to share how and why. Include additional insights you gained.
- If you think your colleagues might have misunderstood these concepts, offer your alternative perspective and be sure to provide an explanation for them. Include resources to support your perspective.
Below is the initial class discussion topic that is to be responded to and attached in PDF file are two (2) post that need a response based on one of the two (2) bullets above:
- 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.
- Compare and contrast the actions of g couple proteins and ion gated channels.
- Explain how the role of epigenetics may contribute to pharmacologic action.
- 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.
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction: As a medical professor, understanding the agonist-to-antagonist spectrum of action of psychopharmacologic agents, comparing and contrasting the actions of g couple proteins and ion gated channels, and explaining the role of epigenetics in pharmacologic action is important. This knowledge can impact the way medication is prescribed to patients.
Response: After reading my colleague’s post on the agonist-to-antagonist spectrum of action of psychopharmacologic agents, I gained additional insight into how partial and inverse agonist functionality can impact the efficacy of psychopharmacologic treatments. The post discussed how partial agonists may have less efficacy than full agonists, while inverse agonists may have the opposite effect of an agonist by inducing a complete blockade of the receptor. This information is crucial for medical students to understand when selecting the appropriate medication for a patient, as it may impact the effectiveness of a treatment.
However, in the post about the role of epigenetics in pharmacologic action, I believe my colleague may have misunderstood the concept. While they addressed the impact of environmental factors on a person’s genome, they did not connect it explicitly to pharmacologic action. Research has shown that epigenetics can play a significant role in how medications such as antidepressants and antipsychotics are metabolized by the body. I recommend that my colleague review additional resources, such as the article “Epigenetic mechanisms in psychiatric disease and treatment” by Gapp et al. (2016), to better understand the connection between epigenetics and pharmacology.
