Schizophrenia: Biological Explanations - NEURAL EXPLANATIONS

Question 1

What assumption is neural explanations linked to?

Answer 1

the biological assumption of localisation of function

Question 2

What do neural explanations assume about abnormalities in the brain?

Answer 2

it assumes that abnormalities in brain structure and activity are linked to the positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia

Question 3

How can researchers compare brains?

Answer 3

by using methods such as PET scans, fMRI scans and post-mortems

Question 4

Why are methods such as PET scans, fMRI scans and post-mortems used?

Answer 4

so that researchers can compare the brains of schizophrenic people with non-schizophrenic people to identify differences in brain structure and activity that may cause schizophrenia

Question 5

What 3 parts of the brain have been found to be involved in schizophrenia?

Answer 5

• abnormal ventricles
• abnormality in the ventrial striatum
• cortical atrophy

Question 6

How many ventricles are in the brain and what is their role?

Answer 6

we all have 4 ventricles (chambers) in the brain and their role is to produce and transport cerebrospinal fluid

Question 7

How are ventricles different in someone with schizophrenia?

Answer 7

in some individuals with schizophrenia, the ventricles seem to be larger than in those people without schizophrenua

Question 8

Andreasen et al (1982)
- which part of brain?
- how many patients?
- results?

Answer 8

• abnormal ventricles
• sample of 52 schizophrenic patients
• 16 patients with “large ventricles”
• 16 patients with “smallest ventricles”
• patients with ventricular enlargement showed negative symptoms
• patients with small ventricle were characterised by positive symptoms

Question 9

What is the ventrial striatum?

Answer 9

a part of the brain involved in the anticipation of rewards (an important part of motivation)

Question 10

How might abnormalities in the ventrial striatum explain abolition?

Answer 10

avolition in schizophrenia may be explained by low levels of activity in this area

Question 11

Juckel (2006)
- what did he find?
- what groups?
- what correlation was found?

Answer 11

• found low levels of ventrial striatum activity in people with schizophrenia when compared with a control group
• also went to find a negative correlation between activity levels in the ventrial striatum and severity of negative symptoms

Question 12

What is cortial atrophy?

Answer 12

this is a loss of neurons in the cerebral cortex (outer layer of the brain)

Question 13

Where can cortical atrophy occur?

Answer 13

can occur all over the cortex, making it look like it has shrunk, or it can occur in specific regions of the cortex

Question 14

What happens when atrophy occurs in specific regions of the cortex?

Answer 14

the cognitive functions of those regions are affected

Question 15

What does atrophy result in?

Answer 15

the atrophy results in the widening of the groves (the sulci) covering the cerebral cortex and this has been found in 20-35% of people with schizophrenia

Question 16

What may cortical atrophy be linked to?

Answer 16

may be linked to the cognitive difficulties that people with schizophrenia experience

Question 17

What are some examples of cortical atrophy being linked to cognitive difficulties that people with schizophrenia experience?

Answer 17

for example, structural abnormalities in the frontal lobe and the temporal lobe have been associated with working memory and declarative memory difficulties seen in people with schizophrenia