biological explanation of schizophrenia - brain structure essay Flashcards
1
Q
paragraph one (ventricles) - AO1
A
- smaller brain volume and enlarged ventricles (25%)
- post mortem analysis have shown enlarged ventricles and structural problems in PFC and hippocampus
- similar to symptoms of parkinsons but no scar tissue or progression
2
Q
paragraph one (ventricles) - strength
A
- MRI scans used to see neural anatomy
- scientific and credible data produced which can be interpreted the same way
- valid conclusions on brain structure
3
Q
paragraph one (ventricles) - in addition
A
- Pahl et al
- looked at MZ twins where one had Sz and the other didnt
-12/15 pairs the Sz twin had enlarged ventricles
4
Q
paragraph two (PFC) - AO1
A
- reduction in grey matter in temporal and frontal regions
- reduced metabolic rate in PFC when completing neuropsychological tasks
- greater surface contraction of the brain in the PFC of those who develop psychosis
5
Q
paragraph two (PFC) - strength
A
- Goldstein et al
- scanned the brains of Sz and healthy controls
- matched on age, sex and ethnicity so high validity
- found reduced grey matter in the paralimbic regions
6
Q
paragraph two (PFC) - weakness
A
- only focuses on biological factors and so ignores other psychological/ environmental factors
- e.g. flu increasing incidence of Sz
7
Q
paragraph three (basal ganglia) - AO1
A
- group of subcortical nuclei in the brain responsible for motor control
- lack of activation in basal ganglia for Sz = cognitive deficits
- larger volumes of basal ganglia = motor symptoms
8
Q
paragraph three (basal ganglia) - strength
A
- clear cause and effect which can lead to treatments
- research into the left brain dysfunction and drug treatment
9
Q
paragraph three (basal ganglia) - weakness
A
- deterministic
- limited applications
10
Q
alternative explanation
A
- diathesis stress model
-may be predisposed to Sz but requires an interaction with the environment to present symptoms - more hollistic approach
