Cognitive Explanations of Schizophrenia Flashcards
What is the ventral striatum?
Deals with dopaminergic neurons, signalling expectation of a reward. When brains scans on patients are used, they show reduced thought processing in this area. This leads to avolition.
What is the temporal and cingulate gyri
Temporal - contains auditory area.
Cingulate - contains Broca’s area.
They don’t work properly in Sz patients, causing hallucinations.
What is Meta-representation?
The ability to reflect on ones own thoughts and behaviour, as well as interpreting the actions of others. If this is dysfunctional or impaired, it means we cannot recognise our thoughts and actions are caused by ourselves or someone else.
What symptoms can Meta-representation be responsible for?
Delusions, Hallucinations.
What is Central Control?
The ability to suppress automatic responses while performing deliberate actions. if this is dysfunctional or impaired, it means we are unable to think/speak before we act, displaying abnormal behaviours/speech.
What symptoms can Central Control be responsible for?
Disorganised speech, thoughts or behaviour.
What is the evaluation - Stirling?
He compared 30 people with Sz to 30 people on the Stoop test. People with Sz took over twice as long to say the word - supporting CC because patients are unable to suppress their first instinct of saying the word.
What is the evaluation - Proximal.
They are proximal not distal, only saying what is happening now to cause the symptoms but not what caused the condition to occur. This is an issue because it can’t explain the cause therefore it can’t effectively be treated this way.
