Bio explanations - neural correlates

Question 1

What did Raz and Raz find in their meta-analysis about brain sctucture?

Answer 1

-They found that over half the individuals they tested with SZ, over half had increased ventricle size compared to a control group.

Question 2

What are enlarged ventricles associated with?

Answer 2

-Enlarged ventricles are associated with damage to central brain areas and the pre-frontal cortex

Question 3

What is damage to the pre-frontal cortex associated with?

Answer 3

-This damage is associated with negative symptoms of SZ

Question 4

Who conducted research to support the role of brain structure in neural correlates?

Answer 4

-Suddath et al

Question 5

What did Suddath et al do?

Answer 5

-Suddath et al used MRI scans to investigate the brain structure of MZ (identical) twins in which one twin was SZ.

Question 6

What did Suddath et al find?

Answer 6

-They found that the SZ twin generally had more enlarged ventricles

Question 7

How does Suddath et al’s findings support neural correlates and brain structure?

Answer 7

-This suggests enlarged ventricles do play a role in determine the likelihood of SZ developing

Question 8

Outline dopamine hypothesis

Answer 8

-The brains chemical messengers appear to work differently in the brain of a patient with SZ. SZ may release too much dopamine or have large amounts of D2 receptors on the post synaptic neuron.

Question 9

Define hyperdopaminergia

Answer 9

-High dopamine activity in central areas of the brain such as Broca’s area may be associated with auditory hallucinations.

Question 10

Define hypordopaminerga

Answer 10

-Low dopamine activity in the prefrontal cortex have been associated with the negative symptoms of SZ such as avolition.

Question 11

STRETCH: it has been suggested that…

Answer 11

-cortical hypodopaminerga leads to subcortical hyperdopaminergia. Both high and low levels of dopamine in different brain regions are involved in different symptoms of SZ.