Biological Explanations Flashcards
What is the lifetime risk of development SZ if you have both parents with SZ?
46%
What is the lifetime risk of developing SZ if you have a spouse with SZ?
2%
What did Gottesman 1991 find in his twin study? (Genetics)
How does this support the genetic cause of SZ?
After summarising 40 studies he found that the concordance rate of MZ twins was 48% while DZ had a concordance rate of 17%/ MZ twins are more genetically similar to DZ twins so if they have a higher risk it shows that their genetics have influenced their risk
What did Rosenhan find in her quadruple study that suggests a limitation of genetics as a cause of SZ?
They had different symptoms and different times of onset, if it was biological they would be the same and they had a traumatic childhood so had similar environmental traumas so biology island isn’t everything
What did Tienari study find in his adoption study with SZ relatives?
155 schizophrenic mothers who had given their children up for adoption were compare to 155 children who hadn’t been given up for adoption/ 10% with schizorenc mothers/ 1.1% who weren’t adopted
What did Wahlberg find with adoption study that suggested a limitation in the genetic cause of SZ?
Those with High genetic link did well when adoptive family was supportive/ this considers environmental factors are important / would be100% for identical twins if it wasn’t enviro,entail/ sample see
What is the percentage of lifetime risk of developing SZ if you have a monozygotic twin with SZ?
48%
What is the original dopamine hypothesis?
It states that SZ is caused by too much of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain
What is the revised dopamine hypothesis?
It states that SZ is caused by too many dopamine receptors in the brain and is found in autopsies
What is the dopamine hypothesis?
It is a biological explanation for the cause of SZ with a focus of dopamine in its hypothesis
What is dopamine?
A neurotransmitter that is located in thee brain in the part that controls motor actions
How does the drug chlorpromazine give evidence to support the dopamine hypothesis?
It is useful to treat SZ, it blocks dopamine receptors which suggests that too much dopamine causes SZ and therefore the dopamine hypothesis is correct
How does the drug L-dopa give evidence to support the dopamine hypothesis?
It is a drugged used to increase dopamine levels in order to treat conditions like Parkinson’s disease, it can however produce many of the symptoms of SZ which suggests that an increase or too much dopamine can cause SZ, suggests the hypothesis is correct
How does the drug amphetamine give evidence to support the dopamine hypothesis?
It activates dopamine/ when small doses were given to patients with SZ it worsened their symptoms
Why is it difficult to assess brain levels of dopamine patients?
Cannot be done indirectly apart from a dangerous procedure which involved putting a needle into the spine/ or through post mortals/