Schizophrenia

Question 1

What is schizophrenia?

Answer 1

Severe mental disorder of life-long prevalence. In this disorder there is positive, negative and cognitive symptoms. It is also consider to be developmental disorder.

Question 2

What are known risk factors for Schizophrenia?

Answer 2

• Prenetal/perinatal events (complications)
• Childhood trauma, migration, drug abuse (leads to dopamine dysregulation)
• Strong genetic background
• Season of birth
• Maternal infection during pregnancy
• Stressful life events
• etc.

Question 3

Basic mechanism?

Answer 3

• Cortical thinning (in prefrontal and temporal cerebral cortex)
• Decrement of synaptic spines
• Brain circuit abnormalities

Question 4

Treatment?

Answer 4

• Anti psychotic medication
• Psycho-social treatment
  . Psychoeducation of the patient and family
• Psychosocial rehabilitation
• Etc

Question 5

Diagnosis?

Answer 5

• Patient need to have two or more symptoms:
• Hear voices
• Hallucinations (visual, sensory, smell)
• Delusions
• Diminished emotional expressions
• Lack of speech
• Disorganized behavior
• Depression, suicidal thoughts
• Negative symptoms (lack of ability to function normally)
• Exclusion of other disorders (MRI, PET, CT)
• Medical history

Question 6

Heredity?

Answer 6

Has high heritability, but no genetic variations is deterministic.

Does run in family, but environment has bigger role.

Question 7

Genetics

Answer 7

• Heterogeneity

- Multiple genetic risk factors that are partially shared with other psychiatric disorders