Chapter 12 - Schizophrenia Flashcards
What is Schizophrenia?
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder with psychotic symptoms that affect emotions, behavior, thinking, and understanding of the world.
Is Schizophrenia the same for everyone?
No — it’s a set of related disorders. Symptoms, how it develops, and treatment responses are often different from person to person.
What are the two main symptom clusters in Schizophrenia?
Positive symptoms (added experiences like hallucinations)
and
Negative symptoms (loss of normal functions like flat emotions).
What are positive symptoms in Schizophrenia?
Positive symptoms are distorted thoughts, perceptions, or behaviors added to normal experience — intrusive and intense.
What are hallucinations in Schizophrenia?
Vivid, false sensory experiences.
Most common: auditory hallucinations (hearing voices) — but can involve any sense.
What are delusions in Schizophrenia?
False, fixed beliefs that stay even with clear proof they’re wrong. Often follow a specific theme.
List four types of delusions in Schizophrenia.
Paranoid delusions — belief of being persecuted.
Delusions of control — thoughts controlled by others (thought insertion).
Delusions of grandeur — belief in exaggerated power or knowledge.
Delusions of reference — believing random events have personal meaning.
What is disorganized speech in Schizophrenia?
Speaking in a way that’s hard to follow:
Word salad: random words.
Neologisms: made-up words.
What is disorganized behavior in Schizophrenia?
Unfocused, odd, or inappropriate actions — like not dressing properly, laughing at wrong times, or neglecting basic self-care.
What is catatonia in Schizophrenia?
Person stays frozen in one posture or position for hours, unresponsive to surroundings.
How many of the DSM-5 criteria for Schizophrenia involve positive symptoms?
4 out of 5 criteria involve positive symptoms.
What are negative symptoms in Schizophrenia?
Negative symptoms are the absence or reduction of normal thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.
What is Flat Affect in Schizophrenia?
A narrowed range of emotional expression — the person feels emotions but shows little or no outward signs.
What is Alogia in Schizophrenia?
Speaking less than usual, responding slowly or briefly — also called poverty of speech.
What is Avolition in Schizophrenia?
Struggles with starting or completing activities — may sit for long periods, unable to get up or act.
How is catatonia connected to both positive and negative symptoms?
In negative symptoms, catatonia can mean physically stuck in an odd posture — not just lack of motivation, but the body held stiff for hours.
What is Schizophreniform Disorder?
Schizophrenia-like symptoms lasting 1 to 6 months — not long enough for a full schizophrenia diagnosis.
What is Brief Psychotic Disorder?
A sudden onset of positive or disorganized symptoms that last from 1 day to 1 month, followed by full recovery.
What is Schizoaffective Disorder?
A combination of schizophrenia symptoms and a depressive or manic episode.
(Mood disorder)
What is Delusional Disorder?
Persistent, non-bizarre but false beliefs lasting more than 1 month.
What is Shared Psychotic Disorder?
When a person develops delusions from being close to someone who already has a psychotic disorder.
What happens during the Premorbid Phase of schizophrenia?
People may seem odd or eccentric and have trouble interacting socially — early signs before clear symptoms appear.
What is the Prodromal Phase in schizophrenia?
The phase before full diagnosis — symptoms start but do not meet all criteria for schizophrenia yet.
What is the Active Phase of schizophrenia?
The phase where the person experiences a psychotic episode and meets all diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia.
What are the three phases in the course of schizophrenia?
Premorbid Phase
Prodromal Phase
Active Phase
At what age do men and women typically develop schizophrenia?
Men: 18-25 years old
Women: 26-45 years old
Where is schizophrenia more common?
In urban areas and places with low socioeconomic status (SES).
How does schizophrenia differ worldwide?
Similar prevalence globally, but people in non-Western countries usually function better with the illness.
Which pregnancy risks increase the chance of schizophrenia in a child?
Famine, winter births, and infections during pregnancy.
Are people with schizophrenia likely to be violent?
No — most are not violent and are actually more likely to be victims of violence.
Which type of schizophrenia has a higher suicide risk?
Paranoid schizophrenia has the highest suicide risk among the types.
What is the most significant brain abnormality seen in schizophrenia?
Enlarged ventricles, which means reduced brain size — often present even before symptoms appear.
Which brain area’s impaired functioning may underlie positive symptoms like auditory hallucinations?
The frontal lobe — impaired functioning is linked to some positive symptoms.
What is the pruning hypothesis in schizophrenia?
During adolescence, excessive pruning may eliminate too many neural connections, especially in the frontal cortex.
How is the thalamus affected in schizophrenia?
The thalamus is often smaller and shows abnormal functioning.
How is the hippocampus affected in schizophrenia?
The hippocampus is often smaller, which may cause working memory problems.
What does the Dopamine Hypothesis suggest about schizophrenia?
Schizophrenia arises from overproduction of dopamine or increased dopamine receptor sensitivity — especially in the frontal lobes.
How does excess dopamine affect thoughts and behavior in schizophrenia?
It triggers a flooding of unrelated thoughts, behaviors, and feelings, leading to the disorganized symptoms seen in schizophrenia.
What is a major criticism of the Dopamine Hypothesis?
It’s an oversimplification — schizophrenia involves multiple neurotransmitters, not just dopamine.
Which other neurotransmitters are involved in schizophrenia besides dopamine?
Serotonin and glutamate — they interact with dopamine and contribute to structural and functional brain abnormalities.
How does serotonin relate to schizophrenia symptoms?
Medications that affect serotonin can reduce positive and negative symptoms, but serotonin isn’t the direct cause of schizophrenia.
What role does glutamate play in schizophrenia?
Excess glutamate, especially in the frontal lobes, can disrupt neural activation and impair cognitive functions.
What are the four main steps in treating schizophrenia?
Reduce positive symptoms during active psychosis.
Reduce negative symptoms.
Improve neurocognitive functioning.
Reduce disability and increase daily functioning.
