Individual 2) Sex Differences

Question 1

What does research show about development of schizophrenia in males and females?

Answer 1

Men are more likely to develop schizophrenia than women and often experience more severe symptoms at an earlier age.

Question 2

Why does schizophrenia develop later in women?

Answer 2

Female hormones, such as oestrogen, “protect” women against the disorder.
Women’s oestrogen levels increase during puberty so they are less likely to schizophrenia during adolescence.

Question 3

Seeman

Answer 3

Increase in severity of schizophrenia in later life may be explained by the drop is oestrogen levels as women go through menopause.

Question 4

Rossler and Hafner

Answer 4

Oestrogen regulates sensitivity of dopamine receptors in the brain, explaining why women aren’t as affected until oestrogen levels decline and why women are more responsive to medication that targets dopamine.

Question 5

Conclusion

Answer 5

Castle and Murray point out that the relationship between oestrogen and schizophrenia is not fully explained.
Schizophrenogenic mother explanation produces inconsistent findings.
Methods used to collect data criticised.
Schizophrenogenic mother based on interviews and observations, which are vulnerable to interpretation.
Waring and Ricks - mothers of schizophrenics are commonly shy, withdrawn and suffering form anxiety.