Psychosis Flashcards
(42 cards)
Define psychosis
Individual experiencing a reality different to everyone else
Symptoms of psychosis
Hallucinations
Delusions
Formal thought disorder
Fragmentation of boundaries of self
Define hallucinations
Perception of an object in the absence of external stimulus
- can be any of 5 modalities
- auditory most common
Define delusions
Fixed, firmly held belief than is usually false
Cannot be reasoned away
That is held despite evidence to the contrary
Out of keeping with person’s sociocultural norms
Types of delusions
Persecutory - someone/thing is after you Grandiose - you are powerful Reference - everything is about you Erotomanic - someone loves you Hypochondrial - have x illness
Define formal though disorder
Problem of speech which means that each word/sentence does not follow on from next
Define disorders of the self
Individual can no longer distinguish between oneself and the world
- broadcast - everyone can hear your thoughts
- passivity phenomena - physical movement controlled by someone/thing else
- thought insertion - someone places thought in your head
Define schizophrenia
Group of disorders characterised by psychotic episodes (positive symptoms) and negative symptoms
Features of general schizophrenia
At least one
- thought echo, ingestion, broadcasting or withdrawal
- delusions of control, influence of passivity
- hallucinatory voices
- persistent delusions
Or at least 2 of
- persistent hallucinations of any modalities
- neologisms or breaks in train of thought
- catatonic behaviour
- negative symptoms
Define neologisms
A new word or phrase of patients own making
Define catatonic behaviour
Significant decrease in reactivity to environment
- negativism
- mutism
- stupor
Diseases associated with psychosis
Schizophrenia - most common
Bipolar disorder
Severe depression
Severe anxiety
Incidence of psychosis
31.7 per 100 000
Causes of psychosis
Non-organic - schizophrenia - acute psychotic episode - mood disorders with psychosis - drug-induced psychosis - puerperal psychosis Organic causes - drug-induced psychosis - iatrogenic - levodopa, methyldopa, steroids, antimalarials - delirium - dementia - Huntington's - SLE - syphilis - Cushing's - vit B12 deficiency
Define schizophrenia
Most common psychotic condition
Characterised by hallucinations, delusions and thought disorders -> functional impairment
Predisposing factors for schizophrenia
Biological - genetic - positive family history - neurochemical - increased dopamine, decreased glutamate, serotonin and GABA - neurodevelopmental - obstetric complications, foetal injury and low birth weight - age 15-35 Psychological - FH - childhood abuse Social - substance misuse - low socioeconomic status - migrants
Features of dopamine hypothesis for schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is secondary to over-activity of mesolimbic dopamine pathways in the brain
- antipsychotics block dopamine receptors
Features of expressed emotion theory for schizophrenia
Those with relatives that are over involved or that make hostile or excessive critical comments are more likely to relapse
Features of stress-vulnerability model for schizophrenia
Predicts that schizophrenia occurs due to environmental factors interacting with a genetic predisposition
- patients have different vulnerabilities and so different individuals need to be exposed to different levels of environmental factors to become psychotic
Precipitating factors for schizophrenia
Biological - smoking cannabis or using psychostimulants Psychological - adverse life events - poor coping skills Social - adverse life events
Perpetuating factors for schizophrenia
Biological - substance misuse - poor compliance to medication Psychological - adverse life events Social - reduced social support - expressed emotion
Define first rank symptoms of schizophrenia
Symptoms which is one or more is present are strongly suggestive of schizophrenia
- alternative tool to ICD-10 for diagnosis
What are the first rank symptoms of schizophrenia
Delusional perception - new delusion that forms in response to a real perception without any logical sense
Third person auditory hallucinations - usually a running commentary
Thought interference - thought insertion, withdrawal or broadcast
Passivity phenomenon
Positive symptoms of schizophrenia
Delusions Firmly Held Think Psychosis - Delusions - Hallucinations Formal thought disorder Thought interference Passivity phenomenon