features of schizophrenia

Question 1

define features

Answer 1

• statistics about disorders, or aspects of it eg how illness develops or how other factors eg gender and age link

Question 2

what are some features of schizophrenia?

Answer 2

• affects 1% of population
• equally common in males and females, onset age is later in females.
• men are usually 16-25 and for females about 10 years later
• severity greater in males than females
• tends to be diagnosed in adolescence but can be diagnosed at any age up to around 30 yrs

Question 3

prevalence and onset

Answer 3

• likelihood of person developing schizophrenia is between 0.3% and 0.7% depending on factors eg racial/ethnic background, where they live and country of their birth
• gender differences apparent - males more likely to develop more negative symptoms and have longer duration of disorder
• peak onset is early twenties for males and late twenties for females
• patients who show psychotic episodes earlier than in late adolescence appear to be more likely to have worse prognosis over long term

Question 4

what is the prodromal period in schizophrenia?

Answer 4

• early stage before psychosis starts
• person still has insight
• no psychotic break yet
• signs and symptoms begin but not full schizophrenia yet

Question 5

how is schizophrenia diagnosed?

Answer 5

• needs 2+ positive symptoms
• lasts at least 1 month
• only diagnosed by a psychiatrist
• uses DSM or ICD
• no physical test available

Question 6

two ways schizophrenia can be investigated/diagnosed

Answer 6

1) blood testing
2) eye tracking

Question 7

blood testing to diagnose schizophrenia

Answer 7

• being investigated as a future method
• perkins et al (2014) studied blood samples
  
  • 32 with early psychosis symptoms, 35 controls
  • used biomarkers like inflammation, oxidative stress, metabolism, hormones
  • found that they were able to predict which of 32 developed psychosis
• these biomarkers are often abnormal in schizophrenia

Question 8

eye tracking to diagnose schizophrenia

Answer 8

• sweeny et al (1994)
  
  • studied psychotic patients vs matched controls
  • found slower (schizophrenia) and abnormal eye movements
  • eye movement issues linked to schizophrenia

Question 9

prognosis - rule of the thirds

Answer 9

• rule of thumb
• 1/3 recover more or less completely
• 1/3 have episodic impairment (repeated episodes)
• 1/3 have chronic decline (untreatable)

Question 10

what is the typical outcome after diagnosis and treatment? (prognosis)

Answer 10

• about 20% respond well to treatment
• many stay chronically ill and need ongoing treatment and interventions
• prognosis is hard to predict after diagnosis