week 4

Question 1

What is psychosis

Answer 1

Various perceptual and cognitive symptoms reflecting a loss of touch with reality

Question 2

Reality testing

Answer 2

The ability to percieve and think in a manner that provides you with an accurate picture of reality (though some disclaimers about the true nature of reality is hard to grasp)

Question 3

What is Schizophrenia

Answer 3

modern diagnosis capturing core symptoms that constitute psychosis. Wide diversity of experiences

Question 4

DSM criteria for schizo

Answer 4

A)two or more of the following symptoms (or just one is delusions are off the fkin wallls, or hallucinations consist of voice giving running commentary of two voices talking).
1. delusions
2. hallucinations
3. disorganised speech
4. grossly disorganised or catitonic behaviour
5. negative symptoms.
B) social/occupational dysfunction; person not at previous level
C) Duration, symptoms for at least 6 months, including at least one month of active phase symptoms (from criteria A)
D) Ruled out schizoaffective and bipolar
E) no drugs or med condition
F) If there is an autism disorder present, their schizo symptoms must have hallucainations and dellusions

Question 5

Positive symptoms of schizo

Answer 5

Active presence of abnormal phenomina, hallucinations, delusions and thought disorder. Respond better to meds

Question 6

Negative symtpoms of schizo

Answer 6

deficits in normal behaviour, less speech, less interest, less emotional expression, less feelings etc. respond better to psychotherapy

Question 7

What are dellusions?

Answer 7

False beliefs which are a misrepresentation of reality, held in a fixed way, are not open to conflicting evidence, personal, source of a lot of thought, partly defined by jumps in logic (last one very important!)

Question 8

WHat are the 7 types of delusion

Answer 8

Persecutory: someones out to get me
Referential: someones trying to speak to me
Grandiose: I have special powers, I am meant to save the world etc
Somatic: unrealistic, bizarre belief about ones own body
Delusions of control: belief im being controlled by an external force
Thought insertion: someones putting thoughts in my head
THought broadcasting: belief that others can hear my thoughts

Question 9

What are hallucinations?

Answer 9

experiences that are interperted as perceptions, but without something actually being there. They hear/feel/smell/see/taste something that aint there. A disorder of perception. Auditory hallucinatoins are very common in schizo

Question 10

Disorders of thought and language

Answer 10

AKA formal thought disorder
Inferred from a persons speech
confused thinking, the way one idea or thought follows another is fucking weird and makes no sense
disorganised or incoherant speech, including derailment and even word salad. Racing thoughts, ideas or slowed thoughts. Difficulty concentrating

Question 11

Disorganised speech and thought disorder

Answer 11

Neologism: made up words
Loose association or derailment: drifts off on a train of associations evoked by an idea of the past
perseveration: inappropriate but persistent repition of the same words or train of thought
Clanging: stringing together words or sounds on basis of rhyming even though they may not make sense
Blocking: train of thought interupted by silence before idea is completed then thought being conveyed cannot be recalled

Question 12

Extra symptoms

Answer 12

Person becomes extremely excited or extremly tired
catatonic behaviour (immobile)
Unusual behaviour based on halucinations, delusions or disordering thinking.
Inappropriate affect, laugh inappropraitely or become angry or upset without cause

Question 13

negative symptoms

Answer 13

Blunted affect or afective flattening: emotions seem dampened, persons emotional expression is reduced
Avolition: difficulty getting motivated and pursuing goals
Alogia: reduced speech
Anhedonia: no pleasure in anything
Asociality: refers to lack of interest in social interactions

Question 14

Aetiology of S

Answer 14

combo of factors, but mostly bio.
Genetic predispostion big part, accounts for 75% of the risk of development.
Prepregnancy and pregnancy factors
Social and environmental stress; interesting note is that in adopted family kid has 22% chance developing even tho no bio relation.
Genetic link between a few other bio conditions (like social cognitiion, cognitive deficits etc)

Question 15

Stress-Diathesis and S

Answer 15

During development a bunch of shit contributes to vulnerability, genetic factors provide a foundation on which vulnerability accumilates. Intrauterine and birth complications etc. In childhood adolescence signs can show, which then morphs to schizo when vulnerable person is put under stress. the stress required is related to how vulnerable they are

Question 16

Dopamine and S

Answer 16

Linked. parkinsons patients given L-dopa often go a bit schizo. Idea is schizo patients have overactive dopamine receptors, which anti-psychotics block

Question 17

Life cycle of a psychotic episode

Answer 17

Prodromal:Onset stage, early signs, some changes in feelings, thoughts, perceptions

2. Active or acute: Floridly psychotic, exhibiting clear psychotic symptoms
3. Residual:Acute symptoms have resolved but still some signs of disorder or negative symptoms remain (depression common)
4. Remission or recovery: No psychotic symptoms remain

Question 18

impact of schizophrenia.

Answer 18

Debilitating, only 10-20% of chronic schizo are employed
onset 16-28yrs.
no sex difference
everywhere in the world

Question 19

What is the differences between those with good prognosis and bad prognosis

Answer 19

good prognosis is all this, bad is the oppposite:
E..g a sudden onset, later in life, good compliance with meds, marriage, work, early tratment, often result in better prognosis than the opposite