Schizophrenia

Question 1

What is the diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia?

Answer 1

• episodes last for at least 6 months
• at least 1 month of active symptoms including 2 or more of the following:
• delusions
• hallucinations
• disorganized speech
• grossly disorganized behaviour or catatonic behaviour
• negative symptoms

Question 2

Schizophrenia is often associated with ____________.

Answer 2

anhedonia

Question 3

What is the prevalence of schizophrenia?

Answer 3

0.5-1%

Question 4

TRUE or fALSE: incidence rates are lower than prevalence rates

Answer 4

TRUE

Question 5

Why are incidence rates lower than prevalence rates for schizophrenia?

Answer 5

because schizophrenia tends to be chronic

Question 6

First-degree biological relatives are at ____ x risk for schizophrenia

Answer 6

10

Question 7

peak age of onset for schizophrenia in men and women?

Answer 7

• men: 15-25
• women: 25-35

Question 8

What is the general treatment for schizophrenia?

Answer 8

drug therapy (antipsychotics)

Question 9

What are the 2 main avenues oi research for schizophrenia neuropathology?

Answer 9

1. NT imbalance
2. neurodegredation

Question 10

Which gene is strongly associated with schizophrenia and neuropsychiatric disorders?

Answer 10

DISC 1 gene

Question 11

What does the DISC 1 gene normally regulate?

Answer 11

birth of new neurons in the adult brain

Question 12

The Disrupted in Schizophrenia 1 (DISC1) gene is disrupted by a _____________________________ in a __________ family with a high incidence of major depression, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder.

Answer 12

• balanced chromosomal translocation
• Scottish

Question 13

TRUE or FALSE: DISC1 plays a role in brain development

Answer 13

TRUE

Question 14

Suppression of DISC1 expression reduces neural progenitor proliferation, leading to premature cell cycle exit and differentiation. Several lines of evidence suggest that DISC1 mediates this function by regulating _______________.

Answer 14

GSK3-beta

Question 15

What is GSK3-beta?

Answer 15

kinase

Question 16

Which receptors do drug therapies for schizophrenia MAINLY target?

Answer 16

mainly D2

Question 17

List the typical antipsychotics used to target DA receptors for schizophrenia. What are side effects?

Answer 17

• haldol
• largactil
• MOTOR side-effects: dystonia, Parkinsonism, tardive dyskinesia

Question 18

LIst the newer atypical drugs that have less side effects in schizophrenia treatment. Which receptors do they target? What is the therapeutic mechanism of action for these drugs?

Answer 18

• clozaril
  -risperdal
  -zyprexa
• target 5HT receptors (5HT2)
• MOA: balance between 5HT and DA receptor antagonism

Question 19

What are the major neural pathways involved in schizophrenia?

Answer 19

1. mesocorticolimbic DA pathway
2. ascending forebrain 5HT projections

Question 20

Describe the neural pathway for mesocorticolimbic pathway.

Answer 20

VTA to nucleus accumbens septi (NAS) & PFC

Question 21

Describe the neural pathway for the ascending forebrain 5HT projections.

Answer 21

dorsal and median raphe nuclei to the septum, hippocampus, VTA, NAS, and cortex

Question 22

Which dopaminergic receptor shows increased binding in schizophrenia? Which region of the brain? How is this affected by antipsychotic drugs

Answer 22

• D1
• MPFC
• drugs decrease D1 receptor density

Question 23

Which dopaminergic receptor is more readily available for binding in schizophrenia? Where in the brain?

Answer 23

D2; LEFT caudate nucleus

Question 24

TRUE or FALSE: there is increased right caudate D1 receptor availability in schizophrenia

Answer 24

FALSE: left; D2

Question 25

Schizophrenics with negative symptoms exhibit deficits similar to patients with damage to the _________________________ cortex.

Answer 25

dorso-lateral frontal cortex

Question 26

What kind of biomarkers can be used to assess schizophrenia?

Answer 26

endophenotype markers

Question 27

TRUE or FALSE: Schizophrenia is an acute illness.

Answer 27

FALSE: chronic progressive illness