EXPLANATION 2: ENLARGED VENTRICLES-DESCRIPTION AO1

Question 1

What was Emil Kraepelin’s view?

Answer 1

Emil Kraeplin was one of the first psychiatrists to classify schizophrenia. His view was that schizophrenia was an organic brain disease. This view was greatly overshadowed at the time, but with the advent of brain scanning technologies, modern researchers have produced much evidence to support Kraeplin’s early ideas.

Question 2

What was the first finding?

Answer 2

The first finding that indicated that brain damage
was connected to schizophrenia came from the
obvious appearance of enlarged cerebral
ventricles as seen via Computer Tomography (CT)
scans. A CT scan shows a static image of the brain
using x-rays.

Question 3

What is the function of cerebral ventricles?

Answer 3

The cerebral ventricles are FLUID-FILLED areas of the brain that:
1. supply nutrients
2. remove waste products
3. provide internal pressure that helps to keep neurons in place within the brain

Question 4

What do the ventricles do if there is brain damage?

Answer 4

If there is brain damage, then the pressurised ventricles will enlarge to fill in the spaces left by dead neurons.
So it is easy to see that there has been brain damage by the appearance of enlarge ventricles. However, this only tells us that damage has occurred, but not exactly where

Question 5

What were the two studies conducted to show brain damage in schizophrenics?

Answer 5

A small study conducted by JOHNSTONE ET AL
A larger study conducted by WEINBERGER ET AL

Question 6

What did both studies show?

Answer 6

1. Both showed significant ventricular enlargement when schizophrenic brains were compared to those of controls.
2. Furthermore, it seemed to not matter how long they had suffered from schizophrenia nor was it related to the type of medication they were taking.
3. Both studies used CT scans so it was difficult to establish anything other than that brain damage had occured

Question 7

What is cerebrospinal fluid?

Answer 7

Ventricles are cavities that produce and transport cerebrospinal fluid.
Cerebrospinal fluid is important as it provides the following to the brain and spine:
1. Protection
2. Buoyancy
3. Chemical stability

Question 8

What is Cortical Atrophy?

Answer 8

1. Cortical Atrophy means the loss of neurons in the cerebral cortex.
2. It can occur all over the brain or it can be focused in a limited area.
3. If it affects a limited area, the atrophy would obviously affect the cognitive functions in that area of the cerebral cortex
4. The atrophy results in the widening of the sulci that covers the cerebral cortex
5. This type of damage appears to characterize the brains of 20% to 35% of people with chronic schizophrenia

Question 9

What did JENKINSON ET AL do?

Answer 9

1. He conducted an MRI scan and found significant cortical atrophy in the prefrontal regions of patients with schizophrenia, which reflected underlying reductions in gray matter.
2. This abnormality was also shared by clinically at-risk patients who eventually converted to psychosis.

Question 10

What did ANTONIO VITA ET AL do?

Answer 10

1. He used CAT scans to assess 124 individuals with schizophrenia and 45 control group participants.
2. He found that 33% of the individuals with schizophrenia showed moderate to severe atrophy
3. Atrophy was not found to be related to many individual differences such as age, age of onset or family history, but it was found to be related to sex (specifically male) and if there was also ventricular enlargement.