3- Schizophrenia History, Diagnosis and Epidemiology Flashcards
Who was the first person to attempt to define schizophrenia?
Kraepelin
How did Kraepelin define schizophrenia?
As the ‘dementia paradox’
Who coined the term schizophrenia?
Bleuler
What was the Kraepelinian dichotomy?
Distinction made between the dementia paradox (schizophrenia) from manic-depressive psychosis (bipolar disorder)
What did Bleuler’s schizophrenia definition describe?
The fragmented thinking of people with the disorder
What is a common misconception of schizophrenia?
It conveys a split or multiple personality
What 6 negative outcomes is schizophrenia associated with?
- Very high distress levels
- High suicide rate
- High unemployment
- Reduced average life expectancy
- Economical cost of £11.8 billion per year
- No uniformly negative outcomes
How is diagnosis made from the DSM-5?
Made based on someone’s history and mental state
How is a diagnosis made?
At least 2 characteristic symptoms must be present for a significant amount of time during a 1 month period
Is there a single unifying symptom for a diagnosis?
No
What are positive symptoms?
Symptoms happening in addition to typical experience
What are negative symptoms?
Some aspect of human thought/function removed
What are cognitive symptoms?
Symptoms related to cognitive functions
When is it most common for schizophrenia onset to begin?
Between ages 15-25
When is there another peak in onsets (for women but not for men)?
Between ages 45-49
When is the onset of schizophrenia very uncommon?
In childhood
What term describes the many types of schizophrenia?
Umbrella
4 factors that differential diagnosis must account for?
- Length of illness
- Pattern and nature of associated substance use
- Co-occurrence of mania and depression
- Presence of other illnesses
3 arguments for the schizophrenia definition being too wide
- No unifying symptom
- Very heterogenous
- Many different causal mechanisms
2 arguments for schizophrenia definition being too narrow
- Genetic overlap between schizophrenia and other psychiatric conditions
- Often receive multiple diagnoses
