Directions

Address the following in a paper no longer than two double-spaced pages (not including the reference page) and in APA format. Include at least three peer-reviewed, evidence-based references.

1. Explain the differences between the four main actions a drug can have after binding to a receptor. Describe what an agonist, partial agonist, antagonist, and inverse agonist are. List one or two psychiatric medications that are an example of each of these categories.
2. What is a G-protein-linked receptor? What is an ion channel? How do these differ from each other? Give an example of a neurotransmitter and a medication that act on a G-protein receptor and ion channel.
3. Explain how this information influences how you prescribe medications. Give an example of a patient case or scenario where understanding the drug’s action at the receptor would be critically important in safely treating the patient.