Psychosis Flashcards
What is the neurotransmitter involved in all psychosis?
Dopamine
What do treatments for psychosis aim to do?
Lower dopamine levels in the CNS.
May induce parkinsonism due to lowered DA all around.
Increased activity in the nigrostriatal tract is thought to be related to what sign in schizophrenia?
Neurocognitive deficits - looks like dementia
Memory, conc., attention, speech (Thought process) all affected.
Increased DA activity in the mesolimbic tract are associated with which signs of schizophrenia?
Positive symptoms.
Delusions
Hallucinations
Disorganized speech - looseness of assocation, flight of ideas
Disorganized or catatonic behavior - psychomotor agitation
Decreased DA activity in the mesocortical tract is associated with which signs of schizophrenia?
Negative symptoms.
Apathy Alogia (poverty of speech) Affective flattening Anhedonia Attention deficit
Why do we see hyperprolactinemia with anti-psychotic treatments?
Dopamine acts to suppress PRL release from the tuberoinfundibular tract. Anti-psychotics lower DA levels.
What is a delusional perception?
Normal perception of reality but has a delusional idea about it and acts on that idea. Prone to violence.
What is somatic passivity?
One believes that they are recipients of bodily sensations imposed from outside.
What is thought insertion?
Belief that thoughts are being put into mind by outside force.
What is thought withdrawal?
Belief that thoughts are being stolen from them
What is thought broadcasting?
Belief that their thoughts are transmitted to others.
What is the defense mechanism most employed in schizophrenia?
Projection
What is the stress-diathesis model?
Somebody gets d/o by having a genetic predisposition to the d/o and the onset is caused by some environmental stress.
What is the diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia?
> 6 mos. of positive symptom and negative symptoms.
What is the diagnostic criteria for schizophreniform d/o?
1-6 mos. of positive symptoms and neg. symptoms.
What is the diagnostic criteria for Brief Psychotic Disorder?
Total duration of 1 day - 1 mos.
NO NEGATIVE SYMPTOMS
What is the main predictor that newly diagnosed schizophrenia will continue on to become schizophrenia?
Presence of negative symptoms.
What is schizoaffective disorder?
Schizophrenia and mood disorder that are concurrent during the entire duration of the disorder.
Mood can be depressive or manic
How can you tell between schizoaffective disorder and a primary mood disorder with psychotic features?
A primary mood disorder must have been diagnosed long before the schizophrenia.
How can you tell that you have 2 independent diagnoses of schizophrenia and mood disorder?
Schizophrenia had been established earlier. Mood disorder has been established later.
What sign of autism spectrum disorder must not be confused with schizophrenia?
Disorganized behavior
Disorganized speech
What is the diagnostic criteria for delusional disorder?
1 or more delusions for more than 1 mos.
No prior Hx of schizophrenia
No marked impairment and mood episodes are brief
What are the different types of abnormal thoughts?
Overvalued idea, preoccupation, rumination, obsession, delusion.
What part of the brain is dysfunctional with delusions?
Frontal cortex = insight
