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Psychology - Paper 3 > Schizophrenia > Flashcards

Schizophrenia Flashcards

1
Q

How does schizophrenia run in families?

A

Genetic explanations for schizophrenia suggest that those who suffer from the disorder inherit a gene, or a combination of genes, that predisposes them to the mental illness.

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2
Q

Who investigated genes and schizophrenia and what did they find?

A

Gottesman conducted a family study and found that the more genetically similar a person is to someone with schizophrenia, the more likely they are to develop the disorder

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3
Q

What is a candidate gene?

A

Specific genes that relate to a particular trait, in this case schizophrenia

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4
Q

What is a candidate gene?

A

Specific genes that relate to a particular trait, in this case schizophrenia

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5
Q

Who investigated candidate genes and what did they find?

A

Ripke combined previous data from genome- wide studies of schizophrenia. where 37,000 people diagnosed with schizophrenia’s genetics were compared to 113,000 controls. They found 108 different genetic variations associated with schizophrenia

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6
Q

What are neural correlates?

A

Neural correlates are structural and functional changes in the brain that result in the characteristic symptoms of a behaviour or mental disorder, in this case schizophrenia

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7
Q

What was the original dopamine hypothesis?

A

It was based on the discovery that drugs used to treat schizophrenia (antipsychotics) cause symptoms similar to those in people with Parkinson’s disease

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8
Q

What is the revised dopamine hypothesis?

A

It suggests that patients with schizophrenia may additionally experience hypodopaminergia (too little) dopamine in the cortex (outer brain). Low levels of dopamine in this area may lead to negative symptoms such as avolition

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9
Q

What is the ventral striatum involved in and how does this link to schizophrenia?

A

The ventral striatum is linked to motivation and anticipation of reward. Abnormalities in the ventral striatum may be involved in the development of avolition

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10
Q

Who investigated the ventral striatum and schizophrenia and what did they find?

A

Juckel et all found a negative correlation between activity levels in the ventral striatum and the severity of overall negative symptoms

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11
Q

What is the purpose of drug therapy regarding schizophrenia?

A

Antipsychotic drugs are used to reduce the intensity of symptoms, in particular the positive symptoms, of psychotic conditions like schizophrenia; however, they do not cure the conditions

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12
Q

How many antipsychotics can be taken at one time and how many days does it take for them to work?

A

Only one antipsychotic drug can be used at one time but there are several different types that can be tried to work out which is best for the individual. It takes approximately 10 days for antipsychotic drugs to start working

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13
Q

How can the drug therapy be administered?

A

The drugs are usually given orally as either a tablet or syrup. However, they can be given as a depot injection for those who fail to take medication regularly

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14
Q

Which generation is typical antipsychotics?

A

They are the first generation of antipsychotic drugs and have been used since the 1950s

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15
Q

Examples of typical antipsychotics?

A
  • Chlorpromazine
  • Haloperidol
  • Pimozide
  • Loxapine
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16
Q

Which symptoms do typical antipsychotics work on?

A

Primarily used to combat positive symptoms of schizophrenia such as hallucinations, delusions and disordered thinking

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17
Q

How do typical antipsychotics work?

A

They reduce the amount of dopamine by binding to dopamine receptors blocking their action

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18
Q

What did the success of typical antipsychotics lead to?

A

The effectiveness of dopamine antagonists in reducing symptoms of schizophrenia led to the development of the dopamine hypothesis

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19
Q

What generation are atypical antipsychotics?

A

They are the second generation and were founded in the late 1900s

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20
Q

Examples of atypical antipsychotics?

A
  • Clozapine
  • Risperidone
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21
Q

Which symptoms do atypical antipsychotics work on?

A

They work on positive symptoms. Clozapine claims to also work on negative symptoms like avolition and improving mood and cognitive function

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22
Q

How do atypical antipsychotics work?

A

They block dopamine receptors in the limbic system but they don’t impact dopamine receptors in other parts of the brain. Rather than permanently block the dopamine action, they temporarily bind to receptors and then rapidly dissociate to allow normal dopamine transmission

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23
Q

What did Thonley et al’s research suggest about drug therapy and schizophrenia?

A

Reviewed studies comparing the effects of chlorpromazine to control condition in which patients received a placebo. Data from 13 trials, with 1121 patients, showed that chlorpromazine was associated with better overall functioning and reduced symptom severity

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24
Q

What does Meltzer’s research suggest about drug therapy and schizophrenia?

A

Concluded that clozapine is more effective than typical antipsychotics and that it is effective in 30 to 50% of treatment resistant cases where typical antipsychotics have failed

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25
What does Healey’s research suggest about drug therapy and schizophrenia?
Suggested serious flaws with evidence for the effectiveness of antipsychotics. For example, most of these are of short-term effects only and some successful trials have had their data published multiple times, exaggerating the size of the evidence base for positive effects
26
Why are the ethics of drug therapy questioned? What impact might this have on treatment?
It is widely believed that antipsychotics had been used in hospital situation to calm people with schizophrenia and make them easier for staff to work with rather than for the benefits to the people themselves.
27
What is cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)?
A method for treating mental disorders based on both cognitive and behavioural techniques.
28
What does the interactionist approach acknowledge?
It acknowledges that there are biological, psychological and societal factors in the development of schizophrenia.
29
Definition of the interactionist approach
A broad approach to explaining behaviour, which acknowledges that a range of factors, including biological and psychological factors, are involved in the development of the disorder
30
Definition of diathesis-stress model
An interactionist approach to explaining behaviour that focuses on both and underlying vulnerability and a trigger, both of which are necessary for the onset of a disorder
31
Definition of diathesis
An underlying vulnerability that can be triggered by a stress, resulting in the development of the disorder
32
Definition of stress
A trigger which interacts with an underlying vulnerability, resulting in the development of a disorder
33
Definition of family therapy
A psychological therapy carried out with all or some members of a family with the aim of improving communications within the family
34
Definition of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
A method of treating mental disorders based on both cognitive and behavioural techniques. It aims to deal with thinking, such as challenging negative thoughts and beliefs, and changing behaviour as a response
35
Definition of drug therapy
Treatment of mental disorders, such as schizophrenia, using medication to reduce the symptoms of the disorder
36
Definition of typical antipsychotics
These are dopamine antagonists; they bind to but do not stimulate dopamine receptors. They work to reduce symptoms of schizophrenia
37
Definition of atypical antipsychotics
These typically target a range of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin. They work to reduce the symptoms of schizophrenia
38
Definition of cognitive explanations
Explanations that focus on mental processes (such as thinking, language and attention) as underpinning behaviour
39
Definition of dysfunctional thought processing
Information processing that does not represent reality accurately and produces undesirable consequences
40
Definition of meta cognition
The cognitive monitoring of one’s own thought processes
41
Definition of central control
The cognitive ability to suppress automatic responses while performing deliberate actions
42
Definition of family dysfunction
Family dysfunction refers to the processes within a family that are dysfunctional. These may be risk factors for both the development and maintenance of schizophrenia
43
Definition of family dysfunction
Family dysfunction refers to the processes within a family that are dysfunctional. These may be risk factors for both the development and maintenance of schizophrenia
44
Definition of schizophrenogenic mother
‘Schizophrenia causing’ - a mother who is cold, rejecting and controlling
45
Definition of double-bind situations
Social interactions in which an individual is repeatedly exposed to conflicting instructions, without having the opportunity to adequately respond to those instructions, or ignore them
46
Definition of expressed emotion
The level of emotion (usually negative) expressed towards a person with schizophrenia by their family members or carers
47
Definition of neural correlates
Structural and functional changes in the brain that result in the characteristic symptoms of a behaviour or mental disorder
48
Definition of dopamine
A neurotransmitter that generally has an excitatory effect and is linked to the sensation of pleasure
49
Definition of hyperdopaminergic
High levels of dopamine activity
50
Definition of schizophrenia
A severe mental disorder where contact with reality and insight are impaired
51
Definition of classification
The process of organising symptoms into categories based on which symptoms frequently cluster together
52
Definition of diagnosis
The identification of the nature of an illness or other problem by examination of the symptoms
53
Definition of positive symptoms
Atypical symptoms experienced in addition to normal experiences
54
Definition of hallucinations
Sensory experiences that have either no basis in reality or are distorted perceptions of things that are really here
55
Definitions of delusions
Beliefs that have no basis in reality
56
Definition of negative symptoms
Atypical experiences that represent the loss of a usual experience
57
Definition of speech poverty
Reduced frequency and quality of speech
58
Definition of avolition
Loss of motivation to carry out tasks and results in lowered activity levels
59
Definition of reliability
Concerns the consistency of, in this case, diagnosis
60
Definition of validity
Concerns the accuracy of, in this case, diagnosis
61
Definition of co-morbidity
The occurrence of two disorders or conductions together. Where two conditions are frequently diagnosed together, it calls into question the validity of classifying the two disorders separately
62
Definition of symptom overlap
When two or more conditions share symptoms. When two conditions share many symptoms it calls into question the validity of classifying the two disorders separately
63
Definition of gender bias
The tendency for diagnostic criteria to be applied differently to males and females
64
Definition of culture bias
The tendency to over-diagnose members of other cultures as having, in this case, schizophrenia
65
Definition of token economy programmes
A form of behavioural modification where desirable behaviours are encouraged by the use of selective reinforcement
66
Definition of a primary reinforcer
‘Things’ that are innately reinforcing, such as food or warmth
67
Definition of a secondary reinforcer
A stimulus (token) that reinforces a behaviour after it has been associated with a primary reinforcer (reward)
68
Definition of institutionalisation
The effects of living in a hospital for a prolonged period

Psychology - Paper 3 (4 decks)

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