Schizophrenia Flashcards
What are the main symptoms that schizophrenia characterised by?
Schizophrenia is characterised by delusions and hallucinations (other less well known symptoms include disorganised speech and catatonic behavior)
What are hallucinations?
When people experience things that are not truly there. They can be auditory, tactile, olfactory or visual.
What are delusions?
When people believe things that can’t be real, but seem real to the person.
What is grossly disorganised behavior?
The inability to initiate everyday tasks, for instance carrying out personal hygiene.
What is catatonic behavior?
They are characterised by a reduced reaction to the immediate environment, rigid postures, or aimless motor activity.
What are negative symptoms?
They reflect a loss of normal functioning. This occurs in 1/3 schizophrenics.
What is speech poverty?
It is characterised by the lessening of speech fluency and productivity, reflecting slowing or blocked thoughts.
What is avolition?
A reduction of interest and desires, as well as an inability to perform goal-oriented tasks.
What is active flattening?
A reduction in emotional expression, including facial expressions, voice tone, eye contact and body language.
What is anhedonia?
A loss of interest in almost all activity, or a lack of reactivity to normal, pleasurable stimuli. This can be physical (i.e. you can not experience pleasure from food, bodily contact etc.) or social (lack of pleasure form interactions). Social anhedonia overlaps with other disorders, such as depression.
Name four positive symptoms
Hallucinations, delusions, disorganised speech and grossly disorganised/catatonic behavior.
Name four negative symptoms
Avolition, active flattening, speech poverty and anhedonia.
Are mood swings a symptom of schizophrenia?
No
What could drugs relate to a schizophrenia diagnosis?
It could be diagnosed as drug-induced psychosis if the symptoms only occur after taking drugs.
What are the drug therapies for psychosis called?
antipsychotics
What are the two types of antipsychotics?
typical and atypical
What is one example of typical antipsychotics?
chlorpromazine
What is one example of atypical antipsychotics?
dozapine
What symptoms do typical antipsychotics treat?
positive symptoms
What symptoms do atypical antipsychotics treat?
Positive symptoms, negative symptoms and they are claimed to help relieve cognitive impairment
How do typical antipsychotics work?
They bind to D2 receptors, therefore stopping dopamine from creating a response as it can not meet receptors. They are therefore dopamine antagonists.
What did Raper et. al suggest about typical antipsychotics?
That they must block 75-80% of D2 receptors in order to work.
What is one issue with typical antipsychotics that relates to receptors?
they block 75-80% of D2 receptors, but they also block 75-80% of other receptors as well.
What are 6 side effects of typical antipsychotics?
Lethargy Muscle spasms Flat Affect- reduced emotional response Reduced physical and sexual stimulation weight Gain Reduced Cognitive ability
Basically gives the patient depression.
What is one cost of typical antipsychotics?
They put takers at high risk of suicide, so those taking them need therapeutic support workers
How do atypical antipsychotics differ from typical antipsychotics?
They also block D2 receptors but have rapid dissociation, so the effects very quickly wear off, resulting in less severe side effects. They are also claimed to stimulate serotonin receptors, therefore helping with depressive symptoms.
How is dopamine related to serotonin?
They are both monoamines, which could explain why dopamine blockers also affect serotonin.
what statistic relates suicide to schizophrenia?
30-50% of schizophrenic patients attempt suicide at some point.
What are 7 side effects of atypical antipsychotics?
Tardive Dyskinesia- losing control of muscles, causing spasms
Agranulocytosis- lots of white blood cells die, so your immune system becomes compromised (therefore immunocompromised people can’t take A.A.)
Constipation
loss of vision
Can destroy your stomach lining
Can cause an allergic reaction
You can’t drive or look after kids while on them
What is one positive of atypical antipsychotics?
They are much faster acting than typical antipsychotics
what are three common comorbidities of schizophrenia?
Bipolar disorder, depression and schizoaffective disorder
Who was the double blind theory formulated by?
Bateson et al (1956)
What does the double blind theory of causation of schizophrenia suggest?
Contradictory messages during childhood can increase risk of schizophrenia. For instance, if your mother said she loved you and then hit you, this would create a muddled and contradictory perception of reality. Your inner working model would be formed with these contradictions, so your schema for the world would suggest that when people say one thing, they mean another, hence forming delusions.
What is a schizophrenogenic mother?
a mother who presents as cold, rejecting and secretive, so therefore leads the child to have a constant belief that they are being persecuted.
How is Bateson similar to Bowlby?
They both focus on the importance of the mother in development.
How can flattening effect be explained by the double blind theory?
Flattened affect can occur as the child was taught that expressing their emotions and feelings would have negative consequences, due to their oppressive parents.
Who suggested emotional expression theory?
Kuipers et al 1983
What does emotional expression theory suggest?
That families with large amounts of emotional expression can trigger schizophrenic episodes.
What did K__p_r find family to say about their schizophrenic family members?
Kuiper
family members describe schizophrenic individuals in critical and hostile terms
How does emotional expression relate to relapse?
Emotionally expression in family and friends strongly correlates with relapse rates
How has the theory of emotional expression helped in the treatment of mental disorders?
It has allowed us to create family therapy to treat schizophrenia
What did N__l 2009 suggest?
Noll
He used family therapy to show how negative emotions can trigger schizophrenia in vulnerable people while supportive environments help decrease relapse rates
What did Fr__h et al 1992 suggest?
Frith
That schizophrenic individuals have issues with meta-representation and central control
In what way do schizophrenics have issues with meta-representation?
They are unable to reflect accurately on your own thoughts and actions as well as the thoughts and actions of others. Therefore, they can often make up them and other people saying things
In what way do schizophrenics have issues with central control?
Schizophrenic patients have a lack of filter, so they can not suppress automatic behaviors if they are also focused on other tasks.
What is one issue of drug therapy relating to long-term solutions?
The relief provided with drugs is only temporary