Schizophrenia Spectrum Flashcards
Why is schizophrenia considered to be one of the most problematic mental illnesses?
It is poorly understood. It is heterogenous-presents in a variety of different ways (20-30). Severely debilitating, comorbid with depression and substance abuse. Social drift is frequent with many ending up in poverty. Also expensive (around 6.85 billion dollars per year in Canada)
What are the 3 phases of schizophrenia?
Prodromal
Active
Residual
What is the prodromal phase?
Obvious deteriorating in functioning. Pre-diagnosis, disorder is ramping up. Possible development of schizotypal disorder.
What is the active phase?
Happens in late teens, early adulthood. Symptoms like hallucinations (most commonly sends people to hospital), delusions, disorganized speech
What is the residual phase?
Symptoms in the active phase slow down. Schizo is not always chronic or severe-can slow down fast.
What are positive symptoms?
Observable symptoms. Very determinant of the disease, active
What are some of the positive symptoms of schizophrenia?
Hallucinations
Delusions
Disorganized symptoms
Bizarre behaviour
What are hallucinations?
Misinterpretations of sensory perceptions while awake. Usually auditory (voices), commenting on your behaviour in a mean way. True belief that someone is speaking to you. May hear murmurs or laugher of children
What are delusions?
Idiosyncratic, irrational, extreme, rigidly held beliefs defended by patient against all evidence.
What are disorganized symptoms?
Disorganized speech, tangentiality (ideas all over the place), perseveration, loose associations. Speech that is impossible to understand
What is bizarre behaviour?
Catatonia, unpredictable movements, incongruity of affect or behaviour (laughing at sad or hurtful things), grossly disorganized behaviour
What are negative symptoms?
The reason that many people are hospitalized-belief that they have severe depression
What are some affective and emotional disturbances experienced?
Affective flattening (0 reactions). Anhedonia (inability to experience pleasure)
What other negative symptoms can people with schizophrenia experience?
Apathy, avolition, alogia. Social withdrawal, indecisiveness, poverty of thought content, thought blocking
What is clinical apathy?
People continue to do the same thing over a period of time without response to other requests.
What is avolition?
Person seems to have no will
What is alogia?
Inability to make logical connections-poverty of thought content
What is criterion A of the diagnosis of schizophrenia?
Two or more of the following, each present for a specific portion of the time during a one month period (or less if successfully treated). At least one of these must be 1, 2, or 3.
1) Delusions
2) Hallucinations
3) Disorganized speech (Frequent derailment, incoherence)
4) Grossly disorganized such as catatonic behaviour
5) Negative symptoms
What is criterion B in the diagnosis of schizophrenia?
For a significant portion of time since the onset of the disturbance, there has been a decline in social or occupational behaviour for at least 3 months
What is criterion C in the diagnosis of schizophrenia?
Continuous signs of disturbance that persist for 6 months
What is criterion D of the diagnosis of schizophrenia?
Mood disorders have been ruled out. If they have been present, must have been briefly during the active phase or the residual phase
What is criterion E of the diagnosis of schizophrenia?
Not due to the direct effects of a drug, medication, or general medical condition
What is criterion F of the diagnosis of schizophrenia?
If there is autism or another pervasive disorder then prominent hallucinations and delusions must be present for at least a month
What is the lifetime prevalence of schizophrenia?
Between 0.5-1%.
How many people per year get diagnosed with schizophrenia?
1/10000 per year
What is the mean age of onset?
25-40