Ch 24: What is schizophrenia

Question 1

Bleulers four A’s:

Answer 1

1. ambivalence (not being able to make choices)
2. blunted affect
3. autism (limitations in social intercourse)
4. loosening of association

Question 2

schizophrenia: 3 categories

Answer 2

1. positive symptoms: hallucinations and delusions
2. negative symptoms: blunted affect, ambivalence, autism
3. disorganisation: loosening of association

Question 3

Schizophrenia: aetiology

Answer 3

interaction genes and environment 
fathers age
pregnancy complications
birth complications
season of birth
growing up in an urban environment 
use of cannabis
exposure to trauma

Question 4

schizophrenia: neuropathology: 2 structural brain abnormalities

Answer 4

1. smaller volume of the gray matter (hippocampus gets smaller, ventricles expand)
2. normal asymmetry of the hemispheres is not present

Question 5

schizophrenia: drugs

Answer 5

antipsychotica:
- first generation: on dopamine receptors, many side effects, did not improve negative symptoms
- atypical: fewer side effects, improve negative symptoms by having more activity on serotonin and glutamate receptors

Question 6

schizo cognitive impairments: traditional function domains

Answer 6

no specific cognitive profile
less well on most aspects
generalised disorder is responsible for overall impaired functioning

Question 7

schizo cognitive impairments: social cognition

Answer 7

little research done
lower order processes (perception of basic emotions)
higher order processes (interpretation of social info and ToM)

Question 8

schizo cognitive impairments: course

Answer 8

already some abnormalities before first episode
language skills children
after first episode –> more abnormalities

Question 9

schizo: relationship between symptoms and cognitive impairments

Answer 9

no causal relationship with hallucinations and delusions
cognitive processes do contribute to the maintenance of positive symptoms
disorder ToM –> paranoid delusions

1. source monitoring bias: more difficulty distinguishing their own thoughts and thoughts from others
2. jumping to conclusions: the inclination to draw conclusions when there is insufficient evidence available

Question 10

schizo: attentional bias & memory bias

Answer 10

More attention devoted to stimuli that involve the delusional conviction, and these stimuli are better remembered