Psychosis- basic science

Question 1

Concordance of schizophrenia if you have an MZ twin/both parents with schizophrenia

Answer 1

Around 45% lifetime risk

Question 2

Obstetric problems which act as risk factors for schizophrenia

Answer 2

2nd trimester viral illness
pre-eclampsia
fetal hypoxia
emergency C-section

Question 3

Brain imaging findings in patients with poor prognosis (2)

Answer 3

Reduced frontal lobe grey matter/volume

Enlarged lateral ventricle volume

Question 4

What are the three main dopaminergic pathways in the brain?

Answer 4

Nigrostriatal
Tuberoinfundibular
Mesolimbic

Question 5

Role of the nigrostriatal pathway

Answer 5

Extra pyramidal system

Question 6

Role of the mesolimbic/cortical pathway

Answer 6

Motivation and reward

Question 7

Role of the tuberoinfundibular pathway

Answer 7

Control of prolactin release

Question 8

Effect of amphetamine on the brain

Answer 8

Can precipitate psychotic symptoms/worsen schizophrenia by increasing dopamine release in the brain

Question 9

What causes the negative symptoms in schizophrenia?

Answer 9

Dopamine HYPOactivity in the ventral striatum/mesoCORTICAL system

Question 10

Dysregulation of which other neurotransmitters is hypothesised to have a role in schizophrenia? (2)

Answer 10

Serotonin and glutamine

Question 11

What is thought to cause the positive symptoms of schizophrenia?

Answer 11

Increased dopamine release in the mesoLIMBIC pathway (the “reward pathway”)