Biological explanations for Schizophrenia

Question 1

What is the biological explanation for schizophrenia?

Answer 1

Biological explanations view schizophrenia as an inheritable disorder associated with abnormal neurotransmitter function (dopamine) and brain structure.

Question 2

What is the likelihood of a person with unaffected relatives developing schizophrenia?

Answer 2

0.2-2%

Question 3

What is the likelihood of person with one affected parent developing schizophrenia?

Answer 3

25%

Question 4

What is the likelihood of a person with two affected parents developing schizophrenia?

Answer 4

50%

Question 5

Who conducted a study to see the concordance rates of schizophrenia on twins?

Answer 5

Gottesman ‘66 using a sample 57 twins reported a concordance rate of 42% for monozygotic twins and 9% for dizygotic twins.

Question 6

What is a concordance rate?

Answer 6

The average probability of an individual developing the disorder if they have an affected relative. In the case of schizophrenia

Question 7

What is the problem with family history and twin studies supporting the biological approach?

Answer 7

They fail to separate the influence of nature and nurture and twins and family members tend to share similar parenting styles, learning experiences and social environments.

Question 8

What conducted a study on adopted children of schizophrenic mothers?

Answer 8

Heston found a concordance rate of 10% between adopted away children and their schizophrenic mothers, and children of schizophrenic mothers, and child of schizophrenic mothers were more likely to be sociopathic, neurotic and criminal.

Question 9

What is a strength of adoption studies in the context of schizophrenia?

Answer 9

They involve studying the concordance rates of adopted offspring away from their schizophrenic mothers thus untangling the influence of biology and environment.

Question 10

What are excessive levels of neurotransmitters dopamine associated with?

Answer 10

Schizophrenia

Question 11

What drug is used to treat schizophrenia?

Answer 11

Phenothiazines

Question 12

How do Phenothiazines treat schizophrenia?

Answer 12

Inhibit dopamine activity and reduce symptoms such as delusions and hallucinations.

Question 13

What is side effect of phenothiazines?

Answer 13

Stiffness of limbs

Question 14

What are the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease?

Answer 14

Stiffness of limbs

Question 15

What drug is used to treat Parkinson’s disease?

Answer 15

L-Dopa

Question 16

What is the effect of L-Dopa?

Answer 16

Increases dopamine, reduces stiffness of limbs

Question 17

What is the side effects of L-Dopa?

Answer 17

Produces schizophrenic symptoms such as delusions and hallucinations.

Question 18

What are Amphetamines?

Answer 18

A street drug which increases the release of dopamine at synapses, and the symptoms of amphetamine psychosis (taking too much of the drug) resembles paranoid schizophrenia.

Question 19

What is a problem with the biological explanation of Schizophrenia that is caused by abnormal dopamine levels?

Answer 19

It is impossible to establish, however, whether increased dopamine activity causes schizophrenia or whether schizophrenia has social/psychological causes which interfere with dopamine.

I.e. we cannot determine the direction of the case-effect relationship.

Question 20

Evaluate the negatives of the biological approach to Schizophrenia?

Answer 20

Although the above theories are supported by scientific evidence based on observation of physical, biological processes often used advanced technological equipment, critics argue that medical psychiatry is biologically determinist and reduces the schizophrenic’s experience to a simple ‘illness’ which can only be managed by drug therapy.

The fact that schizophrenia is more common among immigrant and socio-economically deprived groups indicates that stress and life events are likely to act as a trigger.

Question 21

Does the diathesis-stress model support the biological approach?

Answer 21

The diathesis stress model combines evidence from different approaches to suggest that individuals inherit a biological predisposition to develop schizophrenia which is then triggered by social and or psychological stressors.