Psychosis Flashcards
What is an hallucination?
A perception in the absence of a stimulus
What is the difference between 2nd and 3rd person hallucinations?
2nd person = talking to you
3rd person = talking about you
What are the following:
- Thought broadcast
- Thought withdrawal
- Thought insertion
Broadcast = belief that you are transmitting your thoughts so people can hear them
Withdrawal = thoughts are being taken out of your mind
Insertion = you believe your own thoughts are someone else’s
What are the positive symptoms of schizophrenia?
Hallucinations
Delusions
Disordered thoughts
What are the negative symptoms of schizophrenia?
Flat affect
Poor motivation
Loss of social skills, social withdrawal
Poverty of thought
Reduced emotional reactivity
Increased self neglect
What are the cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia?
Poor attention
Poor memory
Poor planning ability
What is psychosis?
Illness characterised by loss of boundaries with reality and loss of insight.
Can have primary features of
- delusions
- hallucinations
- conceptual disorganisation
- negative symptoms
- cognitive disorder
Deemed to be of 1 week duration
What is a delusion?
A fixed, false belief not in keeping with social or cultural norms.
What is a delusion of reference?
When you think that everyone is looking at you and talking about you
What is conceptual disorganisation?
When the thought processes are confused, disconnected or disorganised.
Is observed by what the P says - is not something the P realises is happening.
AKA - Loosening of associations, Knight’s move thought, schizophrenic thought disorder, disorder of form of thought or formal thought disorder
Which sensory modality is most common for hallucinations in psychosis?
Auditory hallucinations are the most common
What is a possible explanation for auditory hallucinations in psychosis?
That the brain is failing to realise that the thoughts it is having are its own - instead are perceived as second person speech
Is there a genetic link for schizophrenia?
Yes - thought to be a 50% genetic risk and 50% environmental risk
What are the risk factors for psychosis?
Childhood trauma
Immigration status
Cannabis use
Obstetric complications
What is the most common age for prodromal Sx for schizophrenia?
12-18 years
What are subthreshold psychotic symptoms?
Ps who appear normal but quirky. Dont meet the criteria of definable psychotic episodes.
In some of these people - drugs can push them over into psychotic episodes = genetic predisposition
What is the definition of psychosis?
The P experiences a fundamental transformation in their experience of lived reality.
What is a disturbance of
- Thinking
- Beliefs
- Perceptions
known as?
How can you diagnose a thought disorder?
When the Sx are severe enough to impair communication
What is the difference between thought stream and thought form disorders?
Thought stream = amount and speed of thoughts are changed
Thought form = difficulty linking the thoughts together
What type of mood is associated with pressure of thought?
Elevated mood
What type of mood is associated with poverty of thought?
Depression
What is the difference between primary and secondary delusions?
Primary = appear fully formed with no preceding reason - out of the blue. Good indicator of schizophrenia
Secondary = arise from an attempt to understand an abnormal experience (e.g. delusions of guild in depression)
What types of auditory hallucinations are there?
Command
Second Person
Running Commentary
Third Person
What types of hallucinations are there?
Auditory
Visual
Gustatory
Olfactory
Tactile
Somatic
For a P with psychotic Sx - what are the possible differentials?
What are possible organic causes of psychotic Sx?
What is the difference between schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder and schizotypal disorder?
How can you differentiate between delusional disorder and schizophrenia?
Delusional disorder presents with delusions but lacks other criteria for schizophrenia. May retain functional ability.
Psychosis can be preceded by a prodromal period - how long can this last for?
From days to 18 months
What are possible Sx of a psychosis prodrome?
Social withdrawal and isolation
Transient low intensity psychotic Sx
Irritability and anger
Sleep disturbance
Functional impairment
Blunted affect
What is usually first line choice AP for psychosis?
Atypicals / 2nd generation
How do first generation / typical APs work?
They are mainly D2 antagonists
Which drugs are first generation APs?
Haloperidol
Clopixol
Chlorpromazine
Depixol
Trifluoperazine
Sulpiride
Which drugs are second generation APs?
Risperidone
Olanzapine
Quetiapine
Clozapine
Aripiprazole
How do first generation APs differ from second generation APs?
Have less cardiometabolic SEs but more extra pyramidal SEs