Psychological Disorders Flashcards
1
Q
Schizophrenia and Other Psychotic Disorders
A
- Delusions: False beliefs discordant with reality; includes Delusions of Reference (environmental elements are directed towards individual, person claims TV show character talks to him), Delusions of Persecution (person being plotted against or discriminated against), Delusions of Grandeur (person is remarkable in some way, person believes himself to be famous and highly respected), Thought Broadcasting, Thought Withdrawal, Thought Insertion.
- Hallucinations: Seemingly real perceptions not actually due to external stimuli (hearing voices in head).
- Disorganized Thoughts: Shifts in train of thought that are very confusing to follow by listener, Word Salad (words thrown thought incomprehensibly), Neologisms (inventing new words).
- Catatonia: Unusual motor behaviors, such as Catalepsy (loss of sensation and body rigidity), Echolalia (repeating another’s words), Echopraxia (imitating another’s actions).
- Negative Symptoms: Disturbances of Affect (severe reduction in emotional expression or inappropriate affect, such as laughing when talking about death) and Avolition (total lack of motivation).
- Biological Factors: Excess dopamine.
- Downward Drift Hypothesis: Schizophrenia causes a decline in socioeconomic status, leading to worsening symptoms, setting up a negative spiral for the patient toward poverty and psychosis.
- Schizophrenia/Psychosis = Dopamine Excess. Antipsychotics lead to parkinsonian symptoms (muscle rigidity and flattened affect).
- Parkinson’s Disease = Dopamine Deficit. Parkinson’s disease medications lead to psychotic symptoms (hallucinations and delusions).
2
Q
Bipolar Disorders and Depressive Disorders
A
- Manic Symptoms: Euphoria (exaggerated sense of well-being and self-confidence), Increase in Goal-Oriented Work or Social Activities, Distractibility, Grandiosity (exaggerated self-esteem), Racing Thoughts and Talkative, Irresponsibility and Poor Decision-Making (engaging in risky activities without considering consequences), Decreased Need for Sleep.
- Depressive Symptoms: Sadness, Sleep (insomnia/hypersomnia), Anhedonia (inability to feel pleasure), Guilt and Worthlessness, Low Energy, Decreased Concentration, Appetite (decreased or increased), Suicidal Thoughts, Psychomotor Symptoms (retardation or agitation).
- Monoamine (Catecholamine) Theory of Depression: Excessive levels of Norepinephrine and Serotonin in the synapse lead to Mania; Low levels of Norepinephrine and Serotonin in the synapse lead to Depression.
- Biological Factors of Depression: Abnormally high glucose metabolism in Amygdala, Abnormally high levels of Glucocorticoids (Cortisol), Atrophy of Hippocampus.
3
Q
Alzheimer’s Disease
A
- Type of dementia characterized by gradual memory loss, disorientation with time and place, and problems with abstract thought.
- Presence of Beta-Amyloid Protein Plaques and Tau Protein Tangles, Low Acetylcholine (and ChAT enzyme) in Hippocampus, Diffuse Brain Atrophy, Reduced Blood Flow and Metabolism in Parietal Lobe, Enlarged Cerebral Ventricles.
4
Q
Parkinson’s Disease
A
- Type of neurodegenerative disorder characterized by Bradykinesia (slowness in movement), Resting Tremor, Pill-Rolling Tremor (thumb and finger movements as if rolling something), Masklike Facies (static expressionless facial features, staring eyes, partially open mouth), Cogwheel Rigidity (intermittently halting muscle movement), and Shuffling Gait with Stooped Posture.
- Decreased Dopamine Production in Substantia Nigra of Basal Ganglia. Basal ganglia responsible for initiating and terminating movements and smoothening motion, so decreased dopamine level causes parkinsonian symptoms. Condition partially managed by L-DOPA.
- Parkinson’s Disease = Dopamine Deficit. Parkinson’s disease medications lead to psychotic symptoms (hallucinations and delusions).
- Schizophrenia/Psychosis = Dopamine Excess. Antipsychotics lead to parkinsonian symptoms (muscle rigidity and flattened affect).
