Biological Explanation For Schizophrenia - Abnormal Brain Structure

Question 1

Neurodevelopment illnesses

Answer 1

Damages to brain due to (gene, environmental, etc) cause schizo behaviour, no further brain damage
-Brain structure cause schizo

Question 2

Neurodegenerative illnesses

Answer 2

Few damages to brain at start, gradually worsen
-brain structure caused by schizo

Question 3

Role of Brain ventricles

Answer 3

Provide nutrient + remove waste to brain
Reside in cerebral cortex of brain (middle of brain)
small space for fluid
When Brian damaged, fluid enlarged to maintain pressure to replace the neurone no longer there

Question 4

Weinburger et al

Answer 4

CAT scan
-58 chronic schzio, 50 control
40% schizo ventricle size outside range of control + 53% schzio exceed 2 standard deviation of control mean size

-suggest brain damage happens

Question 5

Oblai et al

Answer 5

meta analysis of longitudinal studies, schizophrenic has brain volumn reduction over time

Question 6

Chan et al

Answer 6

those high risk for schizo had same brain damage as schizo (large ventricle, small brain volumn), suggest signs of neurodevelopmental, as only at certain point do schizo pop up

Question 7

Cortical atrophy

Answer 7

Loss of neurons in cerebral cortex
-can occur around brain, brain looked more ‘shrink’
-occur in limited area (specific)

Vita et al

Cat scan
124 schizo 45 control
33% schizo moderate - severe atrophy
(Only sex affect, make more likely to have it)

Suggest ventricle take up space to maintain pressure

Question 8

Schizo may be related to brain abnormalities

Answer 8

Jibiki et al - EEG scan on schizo - disruption in visual process in occipital lobe = reduced capacity to detect motion = possibly explain hallucinations

Goghari et al - damage in temporal lobe, reduced volumn in fusiform gyrus- responsible for facial recognition. = problem in emotional recognition, common in schizo

Question 9

Evaluation - Reliable

Answer 9

CAT scan is easily available for researcher to use - so easily repeated by others, studies comparable
-almost all study found schizo has structural difference (ventricle larger volume), shows structural abnormality involved

Question 10

No causal relationship

Answer 10

Is schizo neurodegenerative or neurodevelopmental
-Oblai et al - meta analysis of longitudinal studies, schizophrenic has brain volumn reduction over time
-Chan et al - those high risk for schizo had same brain damage as schizo (large ventricle, small brain volumn), suggest signs of neurodevelopmental, as only at certain point do schizo pop up (prodromal)

Question 11

Reductionist

Answer 11

Reduced down to only brain abnormalities, ignore factors such as family or society m, rough upbringing or stress