psychosis Flashcards
main 4 symptoms of psychosis
delusions, disordered thoughts, hallucinations and catatonia
what causes schizophrenia
schizophrenia
bipolar disorder
illegal drugs
prescription drugs
PTSD
sleep deprivation
caffeine intoxication
Alzheimer’s disease
-part of other conditions- can have causes that are not directly related to an illness
normal experience with first episode of psychosis
First episode usually unexpected
cannot usually be immediately diagnosed with particular causal disorder
definitive diagnosis may come later
may be designated as having experienced ‘brief psychotic episode’
what is a ‘brief psychotic episode?
period of psychosis not caused by a mental health disorder
what are psychotic episodes frequently predicted by
prodromal phase
what is predromal phase? How long does it last?
changes in behaviour: irritability, difficulty concentrating, memory problems, anxiety, depression
can last months to years
why may there be a delay in treatment when acute phase begins?
person suffering doesn’t recognise they are ill? Friends/ relatives do not understand what’s happening?
what is the effect of delayed treatment
worse outcomes
what can help a person receive speed intervention?
If person has experiences psychosis because of an underlying mental health condition, they may recognise prodromal symptoms and receive speed intervention before their next episode
three types of symptoms of schizophrenia
cognitive, positive and negative
positive symptoms of schizophrenia
hallucinations, delusions, disorganised speech, disorganised behaviour or catatonia
symptoms that a person with schizophrenia has that a normal individual does not
negative symptoms of schizophrenia
loss of emotional response, anhedonia and apathy
symptoms that a person with schizophrenia lacks, that a normal person has
requirements for a schizophrenia diagnosis
two positive symptoms, or a positive and negative symptoms
must impact significantly
continuous signs of disturbance in behaviour for at least 6 months
not explained by something else
schizoaffective disorder
meets the criteria for schizophrenia and a major mood episode (mania or depression)
three types of schizoaffective disorder
bipolar type, depressive type and mixed
bipolar type schizoaffective disorder
manic and depressive episodes
depressive type schizoaffective disorder
depressive only
mixed schizoaffective disorder
manic and depressed simultaneously
epidemiology of schizophrenia
Around 1% of the population
Males 1.4x female (more frequent in males)
Strikes at an early age
Males: late teens
Females: late twenties
second female peak around the age of menopause
Highly disabling
no cure
suicide and schizophrenia
Much higher rate of suicide in schizophrenia than depression
5% of those suffering will take their own life
(double the rate of people with depression, while 10-15% of people with bipolar disorder type 1 commit suicide)
obesity and antipsychotics
Many antipsychotics can produce significant increases in BMI
-likely due to actions at H1 and 5HT receptors. Because obesity is associated with T2DM,
increased BMI is likely to be a major reason why the risk of diabetes is higher in people on antipsychotic drugs.
the negative symptoms of schizophrenia and the sedative effects of antipsychotics may also contribute to weight gain
antipsychotics and insulin resistance
can induce insulin-resistance independent of their effects on BMI:
this effect can occur with drugs that do not produce marked changes in appetite.
Antipsychotics are thought to cause insulin resistance by inhibiting a component of the insulin signalling cascade, Akt,
and by decreasing the phosphorylation of one of the targets of the insulin receptor kinase activity, insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1)
Antipsychotics and beta cells
direct effect on beta cells
can cause pancreatic beta cell dysfunction in several ways
acting on muscarinic dopamine, adrenergic and serotonergic receptors they can decrease insulin secretion
may also decrease cellular concentrations of ATP which would also decrease insulin secretion
may damage beta cells and induce apoptosis
mental health act 1983
allows for compulsory hospitalisation and treatments
gives power to medical professionals, social workers and the police
section 2 mental health act
28 day assessment and treatment order