Schizophrenia, etc

Question 1

What is the most common psychosis disorder?

Answer 1

schizophrenia

Question 2

What are the 3 phases of schizophrenia?

Answer 2

prodromal
active
residual

Question 3

What is the prodromal phase of schizophrenia like?

Answer 3

gradual change in behavior that may appear as personality or mood change lasting weeks to months

Question 4

What is the active phase of schizophrenia like?

Answer 4

delusions, hallucinations, disorganized thinking and behavior
-can include agitation, sleeplessness, dangerous behavior

Question 5

How long does the prodromal phase usually last?

Answer 5

weeks to months

Question 6

What is the residual phase of schizophrenia like?

Answer 6

continuing oddities or thinking and behavior often the negative and cognitive symptoms

Question 7

Are delusions and hallucinations usually present in the residual phase of schizophrenia?

Answer 7

not usually

Question 8

What are cognitive symptoms? What are some examples?

Answer 8

subtle or dramatic deficits in higher intellectual or executive functions that impair adaptive function and decision
Ex: impaired focus and attention, marked deficits in working memory

Question 9

When does schizophrenia generally begin to appear?

Answer 9

adolescence and young adults

Question 10

During what phase are most patients treated for schizophrenia?

Answer 10

active phase

Question 11

What are the two criteria required for schizophrenic diagnosis?

Answer 11

1. active phase with prominent symptoms last > 1 month (unless interrupted by meds)
2. a total duration of symptoms, regardless of phase lasts >6 mo

Question 12

How do cytokines relate to the development of schizophrenia?

Answer 12

exposure to cytokines or infection in the 2nd trimester can be a risk factor

Question 13

What happens to the frontal lobes to contribute to the development of schizophrenia?

Answer 13

decreased blood flow to the frontal lobes

Question 14

Where does thinning in the brain occur, associated with schizophrenia?

Answer 14

medial temporal lobe cortex, frontal cortex, small anterior portions of the hippocampus

Question 15

What characteristics do the ventricles of a schizophrenic patient have?

Answer 15

enlarged lateral and 3rd ventricles

Question 16

What is delusional disorder?

Answer 16

circumscribed and often bizarre delusion in an otherwise normal-appearing patient

Question 17

How long must delusions of delusional disorder last for a diagnosis?

Answer 17

> 1 month

Question 18

What is the time frame of a brief psychotic disorder?

Answer 18

< 1 month

Question 19

What are some examples of positive symptoms?

Answer 19

behaviors not seen in normal people–> losing touch with reality:
–delusions, hallucinations, disordered thinking and speech

Question 20

What are negative symptoms?

Answer 20

disruptions in normal emotion and behavior.

• harder to recognize than positive symptoms and can be mistaken for depression
• -lack of pleasure, lack of ability to begin and sustain, neglect of personal hygiene

Question 21

How long must a patient have schizophrenic symptoms to be diagnosed?

Answer 21

6 months

Question 22

What neurotransmitters are know to be out of balance in schizophrenia? How is it abnormal?

Answer 22

dopamine is increased

Question 23

What part of the brain does dopamine effect (maybe) in schizophrenia causing positive symptoms?

Answer 23

mesolimbic system

Question 24

How does changes in dopamine cause negative symptoms in schizophrenia?

Answer 24

alteration of DA and hypofunction in the prefrontal cortex are thought to cause negative symptoms

Question 25

What is significant about using antipsychotics for schizophrenia in terms of symptoms?

Answer 25

Typical antipsychotics only treat positive symptoms

–Atypical antipsychotics can treat positive symptoms and also decrease some negative symptoms

Question 26

What is the difference between schizophrenia and schizophrenoform disorder?

Answer 26

length of symptoms: schizophrenoform disorder has same symptoms but last less than 6 months. schizophrenia has symptoms more than 6 months

Question 27

What would need to be proved to show psychosis to be a result of another medical condition?

Answer 27

No evidence that psychosis had occurred before the onset of the medical condition

Question 28

What is catatonia?

Answer 28

severe psychomotor disturbance that can be associated with many different disorders [schizophrenia being one]