Psychotic Disorders

Question 1

Early warning signs of psychosis

Answer 1

Drop in grades or job performance, suspiciousness, social withdrawal, decline in personal care, confused speech/disorganized thinking or trouble communicating ideas

Question 2

Treating psychosis

Answer 2

Early treatment increases chance of successful recovery, duration of untreated psychosis should be minimized (usually have them greater than a year)

Question 3

schizophrenia ages/gender differences

Answer 3

onset usually 16-30
earlier and more severe in men
later in women and they usually get a 2nd wave after menopause

Question 4

schizophrenia genetics

Answer 4

incidence increases with a sibling, parent, both parents, and monozygotic twins.
A complex polygenetic disorder with environmental input

Question 5

positive schizophrenia symptoms

Answer 5

delusions
hallucinations
disorganized speech
catatonic behavior

Question 6

negative schizophrenia symptoms

Answer 6

affective flattening
avolition (decreased motivation and self care)
attention deficits

Question 7

what symptoms do treatments target

Answer 7

positive symptoms

Question 8

clinical diagnosis of schizophrenia

Answer 8

two or more symptoms present for a lot of time within 1 months period, at least one has to be 1, 2, or 3

1) delusions
2) hallucinations
3) disorganized speech
4) disorganized or catatonic behavior
5) negative symptoms

Question 9

altered perception in schizophrenia

Answer 9

hallucinations and delusions due to mis-processed information, hypervigilance toward things others usually tune out (a sensory-gaiting deficit)

Question 10

dopamine theory of schizophrenia

Answer 10

hyperactivity of dopamine in the mesolimbic system (+) and hypoactivity of dopamine in the mesocortical system (-)

Question 11

glutamate theory of schizophrenia

Answer 11

hypoactivity of cortical glutamatergic system = PCP psychosis, NMDA antagonism (ketamine psychosis), decreased inhibitory neurons

Question 12

psychosocial interventions for schizophrenia

Answer 12

individual therapy (CBT)
social skills training
family therapy
vocational rehab and supported employment

Question 13

brain changes in schizophrenia

Answer 13

enlarged lateral ventricles
decreased gray matter, white matter, and whole brain matter
decreased volume of the hippocampus, sup. temporal gyrus, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex

Question 14

neuropathology of schizophrenia

Answer 14

decreased size and packing density of pyramidal neurons in the prefrontal cortex
reduced GABAergic interneuron proteins and neuronal function in later III DLPFC
decreased dendritic spines and presynaptic axonal inputs