L3.4 - Symptom Overlap

Question 1

Define symptom overlap

Answer 1

Symptoms (of SZ) being present in one or more other illnesses

Question 2

SZ has symptom overlap with

Answer 2

Bipolar disorder

Question 3

Symptom overlap affects

Answer 3

Validity as can diagnose with wrong disorder

Question 4

What are some examples of symptoms that SZ overlaps with BD?

Answer 4

Depressed mood
Hallucinations
Delusions

Question 5

Clinicians must do what to ensure correct diagnosis?

Answer 5

Investigate symptoms carefully for correct diagnosis

Question 6

Advantage related to brain scans?

Answer 6

Scanning grey matter helps to show differences

Those with SZ have less grey matter but those with BD don’t

Question 7

Limitation related to treatment?

Answer 7

Can cause years of delay of treatment
May be worsening actual condition
Increases suicide rates?
Evidence found of misdiagnosis

Question 8

Disadvantage of symptom overlap?

Answer 8

Inter-reliability is often low
154 patients diagnosed by 2 clinicians, inter rater reliability of just 54%
Confusion and doubt