Psychopathology part 2

Question 1

list some general information of Unipolar Disorder (Depression)

Answer 1

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

Question 2

Do genetics play a factor in Unipolar Disorder?

Answer 2

60% concordance rate in idetical twins suggests moderate genetic predisposition, but environmental influences as well.

Question 3

What are the environmental factors effecting Unipolar Disorder?

Answer 3

1) prenatal events

2) stressful life experiences

Question 4

What does the brain activity of someone with Unipolar Disorder look like?

Answer 4

1) increased activity in the prefrontal cortex and the amygdala.
2) decreased activity in parietal and temporal cortex, and anterior cingulate.

Question 5

What do sleep patterns look like in people with Unipolar Disorder

Answer 5

1) spend less time in Stages 3 & $ sleep

2) earlier onset of REM sleep and more frequent awakening.

Question 6

What does stress hormone production look like in people with Unipolar Disorder?

Answer 6

1) higher levels of circulating cortisol

2) suggest excessive release of ACTH

Question 7

What is the Monoamine Hypothesis for Unipolar Disorder?

Answer 7

1) UD is due to decrease activity of monoamines in the limbic system (esp. serotonin)

Question 8

What is the evidence for the Monoamine Hypothesis for UD?

Answer 8

1) reserpine (formerly used to treat heart disease) inhibits monoamine storage (an antagonist) and often produces depression
2) monoamine agonists are effective anti depressants.

Question 9

What are common treatments for UD?

Answer 9

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.

Question 10

What are some other treatments for UD?

Answer 10

4) Electroconvulsive therapy- induced seizures
5) deep brain stimulation (DBS)
6) REM sleep deprivation
7) cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)

Question 11

What are the explanations for the gender difference in UD?

Answer 11

1) Differences in reporting
2) psychosocial factors
3) hormonal factors
4) incidence in men masked by alcoholism

Question 12

List some general information on Bipolar Disorder (manic depression)

Answer 12

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

Question 13

What are some treatments for bipolar disorder?

Answer 13

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.

Question 14

How prevalent are anxiety disorders?

Answer 14

1) affects about 25% of the population

2) more common in women.

Question 15

What are some types of Anxiety Disorders?

Answer 15

1) panic
2) Phobia
3) GAD

Question 16

What are symptoms of Panic disorders?

Answer 16

1) brief episodes of interse terror with accompanying chest pain, choking, or other frightening sensations.
2) agoraphobia: fear of situations that trigger panic attacks.

Question 17

What are symptoms of Phobia?

Answer 17

1) intense, irrational fear of a specific object.

Question 18

What are symptoms of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

Answer 18

1) chronic state of apprehension and autonomic nervous system arousal

Question 19

What are some neurological factors that effect anxiety disorders?

Answer 19

1) temporal lobe abnormalities
2) overarousal of parahippocampus.
3) symptoms reduced by GABA agonists (alcohol, barbiturates and benzodiazepines.)

Question 20

What is PTSD

Answer 20

1) anxiety produced by recurring memories of unpleasant events- often triggered by environmental stimuli
2) some evidence of genetic predispostitions- smaller hippocampus

Question 21

What is OCD?

Answer 21

1) repetitive behaviors are performed to reduce anxiety provoked by repetitive thoughts.

Question 22

What are some neurological factors effecting OCD?

Answer 22

1) overactivity of basal ganglia, cingulate & orbitofrontal cortex.
2) possible underactivity of 5-HT

Question 23

What are some treatments for OCD?

Answer 23

1) antidepressants, especially SSRIs

2) cingulotomy- small lesions in the cingulate cortex.

Question 24

What is Tourette’s syndrome?

Answer 24

1) repeated, involuntary body movements
2) uncontrollable vocal sounds
3) compulsive actions

Question 25

When does onset of Tourette’s start?

Answer 25

1) 6-7 years old

2) more common in boys

Question 26

List some general knowledge about Tourette’s

Answer 26

1) strong genetic component
2) co-morbidity with OCD
3) high density of D2 receptors in caudate nucleus (basal ganglia)

Question 27

What are some treatments for Tourette’s?

Answer 27

1) antipsychotics, especially haloperidol