NT as an Explanation for SZ Flashcards
Outline 6 points about neurotransmission
- Neurotransmitters are chemical substances that transfer electrical impulses at a synapse
- Dopamine hypothesis states that SZ patients have abnormally high numbers of D2 receptors
- Patients having more D2 receptors means more dopamine can bind to them which could lead to over-sensitivity that can occur through genetic inheritance
- Positive symptoms, such as paranoia, are therefore caused by over-activation of the D2 receptors
- The meso-limbic pathway is the reward and fear pathway that can contribute to positive symptoms when there is an excess of dopamine that causes intensified emotions
- The meso-cortical pathway is essential for normal cognitive function and so abnormalities here such as flooding of dopamine may lead to negative symptoms
Strength?
P- Drugs to treat SZ generally reduce dopamine activity
E- These drugs often produce side effects which resemble Parkinson’s disease. This is known to be caused by insufficient dopamine in certain brain areas
E- This therefore suggests that dopamine is a major contributor to SZ
Weakness?
P - Some research uses animal studies
E - Animals such as rats have qualitative differences in the brain
E - Therefore results cannot be fully generalised as human brains are more complex with added features
Application?
P - Yes
E - It states that increased dopamine activity could be an explanation of schizophrenia
E - Therefore medication can be used to combat this, e.g. antagonists or further research can be done to establish finality on whether or not dopamine affects schizophrenia
Weakness?
P- Can’t establish cause and effect
E- Research hasn’t been able to establish whether SZ is the consequence or cause of increased dopamine activity
E- Difficult to establish whether high levels of dopamine causes SZ or SZ causes high levels of dopamine, which lowers the internal validity of the explanation
