Neurotransmitter explanation of schizophrenia

Question 1

mesolimbic pathway

Answer 1

pathway associated with rewards and pleasure

Question 2

what is the main cause of positive symptoms of sz?

Answer 2

excess dopamine transmission in mesolimbic pathways caused by lower glutamate levels causing gaba receptors to stop inhibiting dopamine

Question 3

what is the cause of hallucinations in sz pats?

Answer 3

excess dopamine and reduction of glutamate cause thalamus to stop filtering sensory information leading to sensory overload

Question 4

what is often found in greater density in sz pats that is thought to cause excess dopamine sensitivity?

Answer 4

D2 sensors in mesolimbic pathway of which the hyperactivity in cause them to be more sensitive to dopamine so it can bind to them more easily causing transmission signal increases and positive symptoms

Question 5

what is the role of serotonin in mesolimbic pathways?

Answer 5

serotonin can cause increase in activity in 5HT2 receptors which can also lead to reduction of glutamate in mesolimbic pathway and increase in dopamine causing positive symptoms

Question 6

what is the main cause of negative symptoms of sz?

Answer 6

too little dopamine in mesocortical pathway throughout cortex of brain caused by lower levels of glutamate acting as brake leading to lower dopamine levels

Question 7

what would blocking D2 receptors in the mesocortical pathways do?

Answer 7

lead to lack of sensitivity to dopamine and increase in negative symptoms

Question 8

what type of symptom is the mesocortical pathways associated with?

Answer 8

negative

Question 9

what type of symptoms is the mesolimbic pathways associated with?

Answer 9

positive

Question 10

negative

Answer 10

what type of symptom is the mesocortical pathways associated with?

Question 11

positive

Answer 11

what type of symptoms is the mesolimbic pathways associated with?