Psychopathology Flashcards
Biopsychosocial Model
Brings together biological, psychological and sociocultural factors to understand abnormal (atypical) behavior
What is schizophrenia?
It is defined as split mind’
It is common psychosis
negative=> lack of function/ behavior
=> positives mean more behavior
-Broad spectrum of cognitive and emotional dysfunction => makes lost of connection with real world.
- Can disrupt perception, thought, speech, and movement
Downside to SZ
Because of its heterogeneity it is not well understood
SZsymptoms (two or more need to diagnose)
• delusions
• Hallucination
• Disorganized Speech
• Grossly disorganized or catatonic behavior
• Negative symptoms
Delusions
• A system of beliefs that would be seen b most members of society as a misrepresentation of reality
• delusion of grandeur (being famous)
• delusion of persecution ( false powerful enemies)
Hallucinations
• The experience of sensory events without any input from the surrounding environment
• Auditory hallucinations are most common
Disorganized speech
• word salad & Neologisms
=> making own vocabulary and sentences, incomprehensible
• Jump Topics
Grossly disorganized or catatonic behavior
• Erratic motor behavior and emotional reactions
• catatonic => waxy flexible (even can stay in uncomfortable position until someone turn them right)
Negative symptoms
• emotional and social withdrawal
• Apathy ( lack of interest)
• poverty of thought or speech
What does the presence of large ventricles indicate?
• Atrophy or damage to brain areas bordering ventricles
Specific about structural differences
Smaller => hippocampi & Amygdalae
Communication Bridges =>
• Entorhinal cortices
• Parahippocampi
• Cingulate cortex
• Entorhinal cortices
• Parahippocampi
• Cingulate cortex
_ communication between cortex and hippo
_ surrounded the hippo
_ error detection and monitoring the reality
Treatment likelihood
- Larger the ventricles=> less the recovery
- Extend to which neural inputs and outputs are disorganized
Functional differences for SZ
Hypofrontality hypothesis
- less metabolic activity in the prefrontal during high cognitive tasks
What causes SZ differences
• Genetic and environmental factors
• Likely gene-environment interactions epigenetic effects
What is genetic vulnerability?
• Genes are responsible for making some individuals vulnerable to schizophrenia
• In adoption studies, children with biologica parent with schizophrenia more likely to suffer from schizophrenia
Monozygotic disadvantage of SZ
• Case of the Genain quadruplets
• Monozygotic
• Time of onset, symptoms and diagnoses, course of disorder, outcomes different
Genome-wide association studies
• Ask whether particular genes are associated with particular traits (or disorders)
• Associations between single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SPs) and SZ.
Define SNP
It can change the protein/enzyme activity
- by altering the conformation
- inefficient cofactor binding
— lower the enzyme activity
Impacts of SNP
• +100 loci containing SPs associated with risk of Sz (+600 genes)
- SP can regulate expression of genes upstream or downstream of loci
- SNP can impact non-protein-coding genes or coding genes
What specific changes these genes bring
- NMDA receptor signaling
- Immune system
- Calcium Signaling
How NTs involved in SZ
In general: The dopamine system is too active (hyperdopaminergic) in individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia
What is effectiveness of Drugs
1970s: Clinical effectiveness of antipsychotic drugs directly related to affinity for DA receptors.
Too much DA signaling is SZ. What is driven by?
- too much DA being made?
- not enough clearance of DA from synapses
- too many DA channels
What problem actually cause too much DA activity?
Evidence:
- The number of DA active transporters (DATs) at the synapse, which are important for clearing excess DA, is not significantly different in Sz patients vs. controls
- The amount of tyrosine hydroxylase, an enzyme necessary for DA synthesis, is significantly increased in the substantia nigra in Sz patients, compared to controls
Remain evidence about D2 receptors about SZ
- Patients that are acutely psychotic (this means they are currently displaying psychotic symptoms) show significantly greater DA release than controls.
- In treated patients, there is an increased number of D2 receptors expressed, compared to controls. In untreated patients, there is no difference in D2 receptor number, compared to controls.
What cause the more DA activity
• Not an issue with clearance at synapse (evidence from DAT)
• Not an issue of having too many D2 receptors
(but upregulation may be a response to medication)
• More tyrosine hydroxylase - more DA
How do antipsychotics act on SZ?
- Antagonists at D2 receptors
- Lack of effect
- NT cannot act
How dosage of drugs impact SZ?
- To be effective, drug must bind optimal
number of D2 receptor sites - < 50% - little to no response
- > 50% - response increases
- ~75% - risk of extrapyramidal side
effects increases