4. the dopamine hypothesis

Question 1

neural correlates
dopamine hypothesis

Answer 1

excess dopamine, neurtransmitter in regions of brain associated with positive symptoms
messages from neurons that transmit dopamine fire too easily or too often cause hallucintions and delusions
abnormally high number of D2 receptors on recieving neurons cause more binding and firing

Question 2

drugs that increase dopaminergic activity

Answer 2

amphetamine is a dopamine antagnist, stimulatesnerve cells
‘nrmal’ givn large doses cause hallucinations and delusions
disappears when removed
suffres of Parkinsin’s disease, caused by low dopamine take L-Dopa drug raises levels found to have Sz symptoms

Question 3

drugs that decrease dopaminergic activity

Answer 3

many different types of antipsychotic drugs, all block dopamine in the brain
reducing activity in neural pathways rids symptoms of hallucinations and delusions

Question 4

revised dopamne hypothesis

Answer 4

Davis and Kahn
positive symptoms caused by excess in subcortical areas
negative from deficit in pre frontal cortex