Chapter 14 - Schizophrenia

Psychology 10948 with Eric/donney at University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh

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By: Ashley Mahlstedt
Created: 2010-12-09
Size: 21 flashcards
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Schizophrenia

A psychotic disorder experiencing "breaks from reality". Represents a qualitatively different experience from normal functioning and is characterized by problems in perception, thinking, behavior, sense of self and manner of relating to others

Positive Symptoms

Excess symptoms; delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech. These symptoms are relatively unstable

Negative Symptoms

Deficit symptoms; social withdrawal

Anhedonia

Loss of pleasure, associated with Negative symptoms

Blunted Effect

Flattening of emotional expression, associated with Negative symptoms

Avolition

inability to initiate and sustain goal-directed behavior

Alogia

poverty of speech

Disorganized Symptoms

disorganized behavior, lack of goal orientation, socially withdrawn, odd motor behavior/agitation

Catatonic Behavior

Low reactivity to environment, complete unawareness and/or rigid posturing, mimicking speech of movement. Relatively uncommon

Cognitive symptoms

Difficulty with sustained attention, low psychomotor speeds, learning and memory deficits, poor abstract thinking, poor problem-solving. Related to negative symptoms

Prevalence

1% lifetime risk for general population; aprox 3 million people in US. Equal across genders, but ago on onset differs. Men -18-25 yrs. Women - 20-30 yrs or after menopause

Acute Phase

after diagnosis, a phase of positive symptoms and poor function

Chronic Phases

a phase of negative symptoms with relatively good function

Relapse

rate is high --> 12-22 years after diagnosis. 15% of all patients recover and never need treatment again, 85% continue to have symptoms duspite treatement

Genetic Influences

the more closely one is related to the patient, the higher the risk of developing SCZ

Molecular Genetics

over 130 potential susceptible genes for schizophrenia, but each has inconsistent replication attempts and small effect sizes

Prenatal Environmental Influences

Prenatal infection, Rhesus incompatibility, perinatal birth complications/hypoxia, prenatal nutritional defecits

Brain Differences

3% reduction of total brain volume, 10% reduction in volume of cortex, especially fronto-tempral area.

Dopamine Hypothesis

SZC is due to excessive dopamine transmission in cortical and limbic systems

Treatment

Antipsychotic medications work well for positive symptoms but significant side effects occur and can be permanent. Atypicals treat both positive and negative symptoms

Tardive DDyskinesia

involuntary movement of the tongue lips face trunk and extremities that occus in patients treated with long-term medications -- can be permanent.

About this deck

By: Ashley Mahlstedt
Created: 2010-12-09
Size: 21 flashcards
Views: 0

About StudyBlue

“I have been getting MUCH better grades on all my tests for school. Flash cards, notes, and quizzes are great on here. Thanks!”
Kathy