Biological expl - dopamine hypothesis

Question 1

What is the dopamine hypothesis?

Answer 1

Genetic factors may cause an imbalance in brain chemicals (neurotransmitters) and this could lead o schizophrenia

Question 2

What is the role of dopamine?

Answer 2

Guiding attention, disruptions may lead to problems relating to attention, perception and thought

Question 3

What is the original dopamine hypothesis?

Answer 3

It was thought that schizophrenic people had an abnormal number of D2 receptors (receptors responsible for dopamine) on their receiving neurons, meaning that dopamine is more likely to bind and therefore fire the neuron

Question 4

What is the revised dopamine hypothesis? (simple)

Answer 4

Too much or too little dopamine activity can create schizophrenic symptoms

Question 5

Explain too much dopamine, what does it suggest?

Answer 5

HyPERdopaminergia - Too much dopamine is when there are high levels of dopamine in the sub-cortex (central) areas of the brain (including the Broca’s area
Suggests that the speech problems associated with schizophrenia such as poverty of speech and the experience of auditory hallucinations may be a result of too much dopamine

Question 6

Explain too little dopamine, what does it suggest?

Answer 6

HyPOdopaminergia - too little dopamine is when there are low levels of dopamine found in the prefrontal cortex (responsible for thinking and decision making) may be associated with the negative symptoms of schizophrenia