Schizophrenia

Question 1

What is psychosis?

Answer 1

When someone looses touch with reality and has symptoms like hallucinations and delusions

Question 2

Which obstetric complications increase risk of psychosis?

Answer 2

Premature birth
Low birth weight
Perinatal hypoxia 
Intrauterine infection in 1st/2nd trimester
Antepartum bleeding
Immune activation

Question 3

What things during upbringing can increase risk of developing psychosis?

Answer 3

High expressed emotion
Critical comments
Hostility
Overinvolvement

Question 4

Synthesis and storage of which neurotransmitter is increased with schizophrenia?

Answer 4

Dopamine causing impairment of the mesocortical and mesolimbic pathways

Question 5

How does glutamate cause cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia?

Answer 5

Reduced glutamate function in frontal lobes if associated with increased dopamine secretion in the striatum

Reduced frontal glutamate is associated with negative symptoms

Increased striatal dopamine is associated with positive symptoms

Question 6

Give examples of drugs which can influence psychosis

Answer 6

L-dopa
Amphetamines
LSD
Cannabis
Cocaine
Ketamine
MDMA
PCP

(Amy drug that increases dopamine through the brain)

Question 7

What are some symptoms of using D2 receptor drugs to treat psychosis?

Answer 7

Parkinsonism
Tardive dyskinesia
Raised prolactin

Question 8

What are some symptoms of using H1 receptor drugs to treat psychosis?

Answer 8

Sedation

Weight gain

Question 9

What are some symptoms of using alpha-1 receptor drugs to treat psychosis?

Answer 9

Postural hypotension

Question 10

What are some symptoms of using M1 receptors drugs to treat psychosis?

Answer 10

Antagonism: constipation, urinary retention, blurred vision, confusion

Agonism (clozapine only): saliva overproduction

Question 11

Which type of antipsychotics are Haloperidol and Chlorpromazine?

Answer 11

Typical

Question 12

Which type of antipsychotics are Amisulpride, Aripiprazole, Clozapine, Risperidone, Olanzapine, Quetiapine, and Lurasidone?

Answer 12

Atypical

Question 13

What is the difference between typical and atypical antipsychotics?

Answer 13

Typical antipsychotic drugs act on the dopaminergic system, blocking the dopamine type 2 (D2) receptors. Atypical antipsychotics have lower affinity and occupancy for the dopaminergic receptors, and a high degree of occupancy of the serotoninergic receptors 5-HT2A

Question 14

Which type of antipsychotic drugs are Depixol, Clopixol, Piportil, Paloperidone, and Aripiprazole?

Answer 14

Long lasting injections lasting up to a month

Question 15

What are some symptoms of typical antipsychotics?

Answer 15

Sedation
Parkinsonian symptoms
Dystonia
Akathisia
Tardive dyskinesia
Hypotension
Arrhythmias
Temperature dysregulation
Weight gain
Raised prolactin

Question 16

What are some symptoms of Atypical antipsychotics?

Answer 16

Sedation
Metabolic weight gain
Raised prolactin
Hypotension
Arrhythmias

Symptoms vary between drugs

Question 17

What has to be monitored when someone is taking Clozapine?

Answer 17

Neutrophils because 1% of cases develop Neutropoenia but progression is slow

Question 18

What is Electroconvulsive treatment (ECT)?

Answer 18

Treatment for psychosis where a current is passed through the brain. Very effective in psychosis associated with depression or with catatonia

Short term memory loss is the biggest side effect

Question 19

What are some comorbidities of schizophrenia?

Answer 19

Anxiety
Depression
PTSD