Neural correlates (biological explanation) Flashcards
what is the main purpose of the neural correlates explanation?
- find particular brain regions involved in schz
- positive and negative symptoms have neural correlates
- postmortems and FMRI’s measure brain activity differences between normal p’s and schz
what are the 4 areas of the brain involved in neural correlates?
- enlarged ventricle
- Broca’s area
- Wernicke’s area
- ventral striatum
what are enlarged ventricles?
- ventricles provide supporting fluid to brain
- they keep everything in place
- if the brain is damaged parts will die
- ventricles enlarge to fill the space
describe the research into enlarged ventricles
Johnstone (1976):
- schz had enlarged ventricles
- non schz did not
- suggests schz is due to loss of brain tissue
what is Broca’s area responsible for?
speech production
describe the research into Broca’s area
McGuire (1993):
- measured cerebral blood flow in schz p’s whilst having hallucinations
- increased blood flow to Broca’s area
- suggests Broca’s is involved in producing auditory hallucinations
what in Wernicke’s area responsible for and how is it involved in schz?
- understanding speech
- can create auditory hallucinations
- the internally generated thoughts are thought to be real outside voices
what is the ventral striatum?
- part of the limbic system
- involved in anticipating rewards
- could be involved in development of avolition
describe the research into the ventral striatum
Juckel (2006):
- measured activity levels in VS in schz p’s
- lower levels of activity in schz p’s
- lower activity levels in VS are associated w/ severe negative symptoms
what are the strengths of neural correlates?
- methodology
- 2 supporting researchers (same evaluation point)
- ethical implications
how is methodology a strength of neural correlates
- neuro imaging techniques used are sophisticated
- these and scans give detailed images of the brain
- provide objective scientific data
- increases validity of research
who are the 2 researchers that support neural correlates?
- Swayze and Anderson (1990)
- Curcic - Blake (2013)
describe Swayze and Andersons supporting research for neural correlates
- looked at 50 schz brains
- they all had abnormally large ventricles when compared to normal brains
- damaged areas are involved in schz
describe Curcic - Blake’s supporting research for neural correlated
- studied schz p’s doing inner speech tasks
- reduced connectivity between Broca’s and Wernicke’s in schz p’s
- less connectivity = auditory hallucinations
- damaged brain involved in development of schz
what are the supporting ethical implications of neural correlates?
- removes blame and stigma
- reassures p that there is a biological cause for schz
- p’s more likely to seek help
- positive economic implications
- seek help early = less time missed from work/ less money spent on treatment
