SCHIZOPHRENIA Flashcards
Delusions
Beliefs individuals hold which aren’t based on reality
Hallucinations
Sensory experiences that involve seeing/hearing things that aren’t there
Disorganised Thoughts
Mixed up thoughts that are jumbled
Catatonic Behaviour
Patient doesn’t react to the environment and remains rigid
Negative Symptoms
Loss of normal functioning such as speech/facial expressions
Bizarre delusions
Logically impossible
Non-bizarre delusions
Could potentially be true
CONRAD
He was reluctant to seek treatment and after drug trial and error he found the right drug however maintaining a healthy weight remains a challenge
FREEMAN
VR can standardise symptom assesment and can be used to predict social behaviour and identify environmental predictors
GOTTESMAN AND SHIELDS (Genetic)
Genes provide a genetic predisposition to schizophrenia whereas the environmental pressure provides a response proven by concordance of twins
BIOCHEMICAL TREATMENT
Antipsychotics present high remission rates when there is adherence to the drug. Unfortunately relapse is frequent and 1st gen present issues such as loss of motor functioning and weight gain
DOPAMINE HYPOTHESIS (Biochemical)
Post-mortem studies showed that deceased patients had abnormal low levels of dopamine breakdown enzymes and so there was an impairment of dopamine at different concurring areas of the brain
FRITH (Cognitive)
Functional disconnections at the brain and wrong cognitive mannerisms result on incorrect identification of internal and external cognitive processes
BIOLOGICAL TREATMENT
ECT can be used as a last resort method whereby the patient will be induced a seizure to ensure short term relief. There is no concrete theory for its effectiveness and electricity is given at 1 area of the brain to prevent extreme memory loss
BEHAVIOURAL TREATMENT
Tokens can be used in order to unlearn faulty learned traits and they can be used to reinforce better behaviours via association. This treatment can be adapted with several other treatments
