Psychosis and Schizophrenia Flashcards
What is psychosis?
umbrella term for mental disorder characterised by impairments in reality testing and alterations in behaviour
Causes of psychosis
severe stress, physical illness, drug intoxication, alcohol, mental illness
Average age of onset of schizophrenia
25
ICD-11 definition of schizophrenia
at least two for one month or more (at least one should be from a-d):
a) persistent delusions
b) persistent hallucinations
c) disorganised thinking
d) experiences of influence, passivity, or control
e) negative symptoms
f) grossly disorganised behaviour
g) psychomotor disturbances
Positive schizophrenia symptoms
shouldn’t be there but are:
disorganised thoughts, delusions, hallucinations, unusual behaviour
Negative schizophrenia symptoms
should be there but aren’t:
poverty of thought, poverty of affect leading to withdrawal, anhedonia, and avolition
Differentials: delusional disorder
narrower range of symptoms than schizophrenia
Differentials: acute and transient psychotic disorder
time course usually shorter and always more fluctuant in symptom type/intensity
Differentials: schizoaffective disorder
mood symptoms equally prominent and come on simultaneously with psychotic symptoms
Vulnerability to schizophrenia
- genetics
- born <32 weeks gestation
- low birth weight
- lack of oxygen during birth
- urban upbringing
- migration
- head injury
- childhood adversity
Stressors for schizophrenia
- drug abuse
- psychosocial stress
Schizophrenia illness pattern
episodic:
- one long episode
- several episodes with return to baseline
- impairment after first episode with subsequent exacerbation and return to new baseline
- impairment increases with each episode, no return to baseline
Prognosis of schizophrenia
life expectancy reduced by 18 years, but 50% recover fully
