Mental Illness Flashcards
What is the criteria for bipolar affective disorder type 1?
one episode must be mania plus depression, hypomania or mixed affective state
What is the criteria for bipolar affective disorder type 2?
hypomania plus depression
no episode can be mania or mixed affective state
What pathway is responsible for the positive symptoms of schizophrenia?
mesolimbic
What pathway is responsible for the negative symptoms of schizophrenia?
mesocortical
What are the 3 core symptoms of depression?
low mood, anhedonia, anergia
What is the affect of depression on the hippocampus?
it has a reduced bilateral volume the longer the symptoms have been going on
as it is involved in memory and learning older people may present with clinically depressive pseudo dementia
What traits is the ventromedial prefrontal cortex associated with?
pain, aggression, libido and appetite
in depression the dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex is hypoactive. What symptoms would this produce?
dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex maintains working memory, sustained attention and executive function. In depression patients can present with psychomotor retardation, apathy, memory and attention deficits
The lateral orbital prefrontal cortex is hyperactive in depression. What symptoms does this produce?
enhanced sensitivity to distress, anger, anxiety
negative ruminations
What is a hypnogogic hallucination?
hallucination as you go to sleep
What is a hypnopompic hallucination
hallucination as you wake up
What are the key differences between grief and depression?
symptoms wax and wane in grief, depressive symptoms are pervasive
shame and guilt are less common
threaten suicide less often
symptoms can last up to a year in grief, depression normally persists longer
normally return to baseline level of functioning within 2 months
What is reactive depression?
no familial pattern, reaction to stressful life events, about 75% of cases
What is endogenous depression?
show a familial pattern, unrelated to external stresses
What does the monoamine hypothesis state?
depression is caused by a functional deficit of the monoamine transmitters, noradrenaline and serotonin
Are the levels of plasma cortisol high or low in depressed patients?
high
growth hormone concentration is reduced and prolactin increased
What is the link between corticotrophin releasing hormone and depression?
CRH hyper function has been linked with depression
increased CRH levels leads to loss of appetite, diminished activity and increased signs of anxiety
Cushings syndrome has been linked with depression - excessive glucocorticoid secretion
What are Schneiders first rank symptoms of schizophrenia?
delusions, auditory hallucinations, thought disorder, passivity experience
In a patient diagnosed with metabolic syndrome after being treated for schizophrenia with Clozapine, what is the appropriate next step in the management?
screening and monitoring of lifestyle changes
if patient is unable to make the changes, Aripiprazole has been found to be effective in reducing clozapine like side effects
What are the three overlapping factors that need to be considered when looking at the risk of a schizophrenic patient developing metabolic syndrome?
lifestyle factors
aspects of psychotic disorder - patients with schizoaffective disorder are at higher risk than those with schizophrenia
antipsychotic medication
Which drug counteracts the side effects of Clozapine?
aripiprazole
What technique is used in treating post traumatic stress disorder?
eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing
What is dysthymia?
mood disorder with the same cognitive problems as depression but less severe and with longer lasting affects
