Chapter 16: Psychopathology Flashcards
schizophrenia
characterized by negative symptoms (absent but should be present) such as emotional withdrawal and impoverished thought and positive symptoms (should not be present but are) such as hallucinations and delusions
is schizophrenia heritable?
yes, but multiple genes are involved
genes involved in schizophrenia
neuregulin 1
dysbindin
COMT
DISC1
neuregulin 1
regulates NMDA, GABA and ACh receptors
dysbindin
regulates synaptic plasticity
COMT
metabolizes dopamine
DISC1
regulates dendritic spines at glutamate synapses
concordance rate
likelihood if one person in a family has a condition, another member will too
concordance rate of schizophrenia
identical twins: 50%
fraternal twins: 17%
structural changes in brain in those with schizophrenia
- larger cerebral ventricles
- smaller hippocampus and amygdala
- thicker corpus callosum
- insufficient activity of frontal cortex
-abnormal neuronal migration during adolescence - loss of cortical gray matter during adolescence
what happens to patients with larger ventricles?
poorer response to antipsychotics
what causes larger ventricles in rats?
mutated version of DISC1
why are the ventricles larger in those with schizophrenia?
the hippocampus and amygdala help form the walls of the lateral ventricles so the wasting of these regions can lead to ventricular enlargement
what produces psychosis similar to schizophrenia?
amphetamine
antipsychotic medications for schizophrenia
chlorpromazine: dopamine antagonist that blocks amphetamine
- first generation antipsychotic
typical antipsychotics
block D2 receptors
dopamine hypothesis
schizophrenia results from excessive levels of synaptic dopamine or excessive postsynaptic sensitivity to dopamine
what parkinson’s treatment can produce schizophrenia-like symptoms?
L-dopa
hypofrontality hypothesis
schizophrenia comes from insufficient activity in frontal cortex
what do antipsychotics increase?
activation of frontal cortex
glutamate hypothesis
schizophrenia results from insufficient glutamatergic neurotransmission
what NMDA receptor antagonist produces schizophrenia-like symptoms?
phencyclidine (PCP)
risk factors for schizophrenia
people born in a city
pregnant mother had flu in first trimester
mother and baby have incompatible blood types
birth complications leading to oxygen deficiency
depression
unhappy mood, loss of interest, energy and appetite, difficulty in concentration, and restless agitation
who is depression more common in?
women and highest rates around age 40
brain changes with depression
- increased blood flow to frontal cortex and amygdala
- decreased blood flow to areas involving attention and language
- right cortex is thinner
electroconvulsive shock therapy/ (ECT)
causes a seizure by passing an electrical current through the brain
what is the final go to treatment for resistant depression?
electroconvulsive shock therapy (ECT)
transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)
under investigation for depression treatment