Psychosis disorders

Question 1

Negative symptoms of schizphrenia

Answer 1

Anhedonia, alogia, avolition(apathy), flat affect, inattention, asociality

Question 2

3 phases of schizophrenia

Answer 2

prodromal: irritability, asociality, decline in school or work performance

psychosis

residual

Question 3

dopamine pathways involved in schizophrenia?

Answer 3

prefrontal cortex: low dopamine= negative symptoms
mesolimbic: high dopamine= positive symptoms
tuberoinfundibular: blocked by antipsychotics= hyperprolactinemia
nigrostriatal: blocked by antipsychotics= extrapyramidal symptoms

Question 4

Prognostic factors?

Answer 4

positive: family support, late onset, positive symptoms, acute onset, female gender

negative: no family support, early onset, negative symptoms, chronic onset, male gender, comorbid substance use

Question 5

How to differentiate between schizoaffective disorder and mood disorder with psychotic features?

Answer 5

Schizoaffective disorder must have two weeks period of only psychosis with absence of mood symptoms

Question 6

Important diagnostic criteria in brief psychotic disorder?

Answer 6

Patient must fully return to normal daily functioning after the one month period

Question 7

CT brain findings in schizophrenic patients?

Answer 7

enlarged ventricles, diffuse cortical atrophy, reduced brain volume