Biological Theory Of Schizophrenia

Question 1

Biological theory

Answer 1

The messages from the dopaminergic neurons that transmit dopamine are fired to often which can lead to symptoms of schizophrenia resulting in more dopamine binding to the receptors

Question 2

What does dopamine control

Answer 2

Perception
Attention
Mood

Question 3

What does to much dopamine look like

Answer 3

Erratic movements
Hallucinations
Delusions

Question 4

frontal cortex in schizophrenics

Answer 4

Lower blood flow
Less frequently activated
Smaller in volume

Question 5

Temporal lobe in schizophrenics

Answer 5

Lower in volume
Due to lack of grey matter

Question 6

Hippocampus in schizophrenics

Answer 6

Smaller in volume

Question 7

Criticisms

Answer 7

Reductionist. Too simplistic to explain a complex disorder by looking at one part of the brain

Ignores nurture. The brain still needs to interact with what is happening in the environment to be able to produce symptoms like hallucinations

Too deterministic. Schizophrenia might not be completely controlled by what is happening in the brain. Some people may let their symptoms to take over rather than trying to mentally control them.