Schizophrenia - Psychosis Manifested

Question 1

What is the definition of Schizophrenia?

Answer 1

Severe psychotic disorder involving disturbances to mental and physical functions.

Question 2

What are the mental functions that are disturbed by Schizophrenia?

Answer 2

Thoughts, perception, and affect (emotion)

Question 3

What are the physical functions that are disturbed by Schizophrenia?

Answer 3

Attention, motor behavior, and social functioning

Question 4

What is the general aspect of Schizophrenia?

Answer 4

Contact with reality is tenuous.
Functional impairments are present.

Question 5

Explain what the temporal aspect is within Schizophrenia.

Answer 5

Temporal = Relation to time.
Active phase of 1 month duration.
Some signs lasting for 6 months.

Question 6

Explain what the substantive aspect is within Schizophrenia.

Answer 6

Gross impairments in reality testing.
Affects several psychological processes.

Question 7

What do the gross impairments include?

Answer 7

Delusions or hallucinogens.
Disorganized speech or behavior.
Negative symptoms = Lose something.

Question 8

Delusions is one positive symptom of Schizophrenia. Explain what Delusions are.

Answer 8

False beliefs.
Systematized = Could be true.
Disorganized = Wacky, wild thoughts

Question 9

Hallucinations is one positive symptom of Schizophrenia. Explain what Hallucinations are.

Answer 9

False sensory perceptions.
Auditory, visual, tactical, olfactory, taste.

Question 10

Explain Disorganized Speech and Behavior.

Answer 10

Speech is likely incoherent.
Behavior is nonconforming.

Question 11

What are the negative symptoms of Schizophrenia? What do they lose?

Answer 11

Avolition (Motivation), Alogia (Language), Anhedonia (Pleasure), Blunted Affect (Emotional display; poker face)

Question 12

Explain what Catatonia is.

Answer 12

A semi-comatose state; waxy flexibility.

Question 13

What other disorders are related Schizophrenia?

Answer 13

Schizophreniform = Duration of 1-6 months.
Brief Psychotic Disorder = 1 day - 1 month; includes stress.
Delusional Disorder = Delusions without other symptoms.

Question 14

Explain Granduer delusions.

Answer 14

The importance of something for a family or other people.

Question 15

Explain Control delusions.

Answer 15

Outside forces are manipulating you.

Question 16

Explain Persecution/Paranoia.

Answer 16

People or forces are out to get you.

Question 17

What are the four candidate genes that are impacted by the Molecular Genetics Research?

Answer 17

Dopamine, glutamate function, Myelination process, and prefrontal cortex function.

Question 18

Schizophrenia is genetically heterogenous. What does this mean?

Answer 18

There will be no “aha” genetic discovery.

Question 19

Explain the Dopamine Hypothesis.

Answer 19

Connections between amphetamine overdose, Schizophrenia, and Parkinson’s.

Question 20

Explain the aspect of indirect evidence of excess dopamine activity.

Answer 20

Drugs that block dopamine receptors relieve Schizophrenic symptoms and amphetamine overdose.

Question 21

In dopamine factors, indirect dopamine evidence is complex. Explain why this may be.

Answer 21

Time lag in medication action indicates other transmitters (glutamate, seretonin).

Question 22

Explain the direct evidence of dopamine.

Answer 22

There are more dopamine receptors in a brain of a Schizophrenic, along with hyperactive dopamine receptors.

Question 23

What do 1st generation medications do?

Answer 23

Block dopamine receptors and tranquilize thoughts, attention regulation.
PET scan activity support these findings.

Question 24

What do 2nd generation medications do?

Answer 24

Target multiple receptors and neurotransmitters.
Have side effect issues.
Not necessarily more effective.

Question 25

Explain the structural factors for people with Schizophrenia.

Answer 25

Enlarged Ventricles.
Prefrontal Cortex issues.
Limbic System, temporal cortex, and hippocampal deficits.
Connectivity reduction.
Likely related to gestation events.

Question 26

What are some family factors for people with Schizophrenia.

Answer 26

Causality
Family Communication
Vague = Not knowing where you stand emotionally (emotional bind), can’t win.
Expressed Emotion = Overly critical, hostile, emotional.

Question 27

What are the treatments for someone with Schizophrenia?

Answer 27

Medically based, pharmacologically focused.
Psychotherapy
Counseling is supportive and focused on helping the patient and family adjust to the difficulties created by the disorder.
Community based