Psychopathology part 2 Flashcards
list some general information of Unipolar Disorder (Depression)
1) feeling of worthlessness and diminished interest in most activities that are prolonged and with no apparent cause.
2) tend to occur in cycles
3) affects 13-20% of the population
4) more common in women
5) a factor in about 80% of suicides
Do genetics play a factor in Unipolar Disorder?
60% concordance rate in idetical twins suggests moderate genetic predisposition, but environmental influences as well.
What are the environmental factors effecting Unipolar Disorder?
1) prenatal events
2) stressful life experiences
What does the brain activity of someone with Unipolar Disorder look like?
1) increased activity in the prefrontal cortex and the amygdala.
2) decreased activity in parietal and temporal cortex, and anterior cingulate.
What do sleep patterns look like in people with Unipolar Disorder
1) spend less time in Stages 3 & $ sleep
2) earlier onset of REM sleep and more frequent awakening.
What does stress hormone production look like in people with Unipolar Disorder?
1) higher levels of circulating cortisol
2) suggest excessive release of ACTH
What is the Monoamine Hypothesis for Unipolar Disorder?
1) UD is due to decrease activity of monoamines in the limbic system (esp. serotonin)
What is the evidence for the Monoamine Hypothesis for UD?
1) reserpine (formerly used to treat heart disease) inhibits monoamine storage (an antagonist) and often produces depression
2) monoamine agonists are effective anti depressants.
What are common treatments for UD?
1) Monamine Oxidase inhibitors
2) tricyclics and heterocyclics
3) Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors- recent studies suggest that SSRIs are not much more effective than placebos.
What are some other treatments for UD?
4) Electroconvulsive therapy- induced seizures
5) deep brain stimulation (DBS)
6) REM sleep deprivation
7) cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
What are the explanations for the gender difference in UD?
1) Differences in reporting
2) psychosocial factors
3) hormonal factors
4) incidence in men masked by alcoholism
List some general information on Bipolar Disorder (manic depression)
1) alternation between severe depression and manic episodes
2) much less common
3) strong genetic predisposition (85% concordance rate)
4) no gender differences
5) early onset
What are some treatments for bipolar disorder?
1) Lithium
2) anti-depressants are not very effective but atypical antipsychotics are- evidence that BD is more closely related to schizophrenia the UD
3) underlying brain chemistry is poorly understood.
How prevalent are anxiety disorders?
1) affects about 25% of the population
2) more common in women.
What are some types of Anxiety Disorders?
1) panic
2) Phobia
3) GAD
What are symptoms of Panic disorders?
1) brief episodes of interse terror with accompanying chest pain, choking, or other frightening sensations.
2) agoraphobia: fear of situations that trigger panic attacks.
What are symptoms of Phobia?
1) intense, irrational fear of a specific object.
What are symptoms of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
1) chronic state of apprehension and autonomic nervous system arousal
What are some neurological factors that effect anxiety disorders?
1) temporal lobe abnormalities
2) overarousal of parahippocampus.
3) symptoms reduced by GABA agonists (alcohol, barbiturates and benzodiazepines.)
What is PTSD
1) anxiety produced by recurring memories of unpleasant events- often triggered by environmental stimuli
2) some evidence of genetic predispostitions- smaller hippocampus
What is OCD?
1) repetitive behaviors are performed to reduce anxiety provoked by repetitive thoughts.
What are some neurological factors effecting OCD?
1) overactivity of basal ganglia, cingulate & orbitofrontal cortex.
2) possible underactivity of 5-HT
What are some treatments for OCD?
1) antidepressants, especially SSRIs
2) cingulotomy- small lesions in the cingulate cortex.
What is Tourette’s syndrome?
1) repeated, involuntary body movements
2) uncontrollable vocal sounds
3) compulsive actions
When does onset of Tourette’s start?
1) 6-7 years old
2) more common in boys
List some general knowledge about Tourette’s
1) strong genetic component
2) co-morbidity with OCD
3) high density of D2 receptors in caudate nucleus (basal ganglia)
What are some treatments for Tourette’s?
1) antipsychotics, especially haloperidol
