Schizophrenia - Psychosis Manifested Flashcards
What is the definition of Schizophrenia?
Severe psychotic disorder involving disturbances to mental and physical functions.
What are the mental functions that are disturbed by Schizophrenia?
Thoughts, perception, and affect (emotion)
What are the physical functions that are disturbed by Schizophrenia?
Attention, motor behavior, and social functioning
What is the general aspect of Schizophrenia?
Contact with reality is tenuous.
Functional impairments are present.
Explain what the temporal aspect is within Schizophrenia.
Temporal = Relation to time.
Active phase of 1 month duration.
Some signs lasting for 6 months.
Explain what the substantive aspect is within Schizophrenia.
Gross impairments in reality testing.
Affects several psychological processes.
What do the gross impairments include?
Delusions or hallucinogens.
Disorganized speech or behavior.
Negative symptoms = Lose something.
Delusions is one positive symptom of Schizophrenia. Explain what Delusions are.
False beliefs.
Systematized = Could be true.
Disorganized = Wacky, wild thoughts
Hallucinations is one positive symptom of Schizophrenia. Explain what Hallucinations are.
False sensory perceptions.
Auditory, visual, tactical, olfactory, taste.
Explain Disorganized Speech and Behavior.
Speech is likely incoherent.
Behavior is nonconforming.
What are the negative symptoms of Schizophrenia? What do they lose?
Avolition (Motivation), Alogia (Language), Anhedonia (Pleasure), Blunted Affect (Emotional display; poker face)
Explain what Catatonia is.
A semi-comatose state; waxy flexibility.
What other disorders are related Schizophrenia?
Schizophreniform = Duration of 1-6 months.
Brief Psychotic Disorder = 1 day - 1 month; includes stress.
Delusional Disorder = Delusions without other symptoms.
Explain Granduer delusions.
The importance of something for a family or other people.
Explain Control delusions.
Outside forces are manipulating you.
Explain Persecution/Paranoia.
People or forces are out to get you.
What are the four candidate genes that are impacted by the Molecular Genetics Research?
Dopamine, glutamate function, Myelination process, and prefrontal cortex function.
Schizophrenia is genetically heterogenous. What does this mean?
There will be no “aha” genetic discovery.
Explain the Dopamine Hypothesis.
Connections between amphetamine overdose, Schizophrenia, and Parkinson’s.
Explain the aspect of indirect evidence of excess dopamine activity.
Drugs that block dopamine receptors relieve Schizophrenic symptoms and amphetamine overdose.
In dopamine factors, indirect dopamine evidence is complex. Explain why this may be.
Time lag in medication action indicates other transmitters (glutamate, seretonin).
Explain the direct evidence of dopamine.
There are more dopamine receptors in a brain of a Schizophrenic, along with hyperactive dopamine receptors.
What do 1st generation medications do?
Block dopamine receptors and tranquilize thoughts, attention regulation.
PET scan activity support these findings.
What do 2nd generation medications do?
Target multiple receptors and neurotransmitters.
Have side effect issues.
Not necessarily more effective.
