brain structure

Question 1

A01.1

Answer 1

CAT scans have shown smaller brains and enlarged ventricles 15% bigger implying loss of brain tissue

caused by death of brain tissue surrounding ventricles and fluid to fill the space

ventricles dont get bigger over life span not SZ is not progressive-( doesnt get worse over lifetime)

Question 2

A03.1 strenght

Answer 2

suddath MRI scans MZ twins one with SZ, had enlarged ventricles and reduced anterioir hypothalamus
could clearly tell SZ twin 12/15 pairs from brain scan

Question 3

A03.1 weakness

Answer 3

MRI scans are correlational causation cant be inferred cant say enlarged ventricles causes SZ

Question 4

A01.2

Answer 4

SZ patients often found to have reduced grey matter up to 25% especially in termporal and feontal lobes thoes with most loss experience worst symtpms e.g. hallucinations and dellusions

MRI scans show reduced
grey matter in termporal and prefrontal regions

Question 5

A03.2 weakness

Answer 5

fusar poli et al conducted meta analysis on brain scanning studies and founf patietns that had been given antipsychotics showed reduction in brain volume, reduction in brain matter and a slight increase in ventrivle size too - suggesting its due to antipsychotics that there is differences in brain struvture

strength: objective measures are used to obtain data, MRI techniques are non-invasive/ionising which means images can be acquired repeatedly in awake ppts. Researchers interpret results in the same way so findings are credible & objective, showing high resolution images of internal structures.

Question 6

A01.3

Answer 6

temporal lobes, processing sounds - abnormalities, auditoiry hallucinations

hippocampus - regulates emotions - flattened emotions

basal gangglia- dopamine activity - cognitive dysfunction

prefrontal cortex, functions such as decision making and problem solving, language Sz patients show reduction of grey matter in the PFC - They have poor working memory and language processing which explains delusions & poor logical thinking
and portrayed as disordered thi nking- ‘ word salad’

Question 7

A03.3 strength

Answer 7

turner et al MRI scans SZ and healthy, smaller brain vilume in areas with hippocampus, thalamis and amygdala compared to healthy peers and enlarged ventrivles

strength: goldstein scanned brains thoes with SZ found greatest reduction of brain matter was in paralibic cortex and middle frontal gyrus, regions significantly smaller than controls -

Question 8

A03.3 wekaness

Answer 8

bio explanation alone too reductionist could be due to social cause- urbanocity stressful factors

vassos et al meta analysis sweeden, netherlands denmark risk 2.37 times hihjer in urban environments compared to rural

Question 9

A01.4

Answer 9

Damage during foetal development can increase vulnerability to Sz as suggested by the neurodevelopmental hypothesis Factors during the womb, birth process or after birth can cause brain lesions, including being born in winter or the mother being malnourished or having flu during pregnancy.

Question 10

A03.4

Answer 10

strength: in Helsinki there was a positive correlation between Sz rates and exposure to influenza during the second trimester had much higher rates than those not exposed, this highlights the importance of cortical development in growth during the second trimester, suggesting that brain deficits have a direct link with the development of Sz

weakness: Battle et al- in 12,000 Sz patients and 735000 controls there was no correlation between the incidence of Sz and prevalence of measles/flu in the gestation period, this suggests that exposure to illnesses/viruses during foetal development does not cause brain deficits that lead to schizophrenia

Question 11

conclusion

Answer 11

determinsitic theory

accept stress diathesis model

application - drug treatment