Psychotic Disorders

Question 1

What is the monozygotic twin concordance rate for schizophrenia?

Answer 1

60% - 80%

Question 2

At what age does schizophrenia usually present?

Answer 2

18 - 25 (earlier in men)

Question 3

What did the first neuroanatomical comparison between schizophrenic and non-schizophrenic brains show?

Answer 3

That those with schizophrenia have larger lateral ventricles

Question 4

What brain structures are typically smaller in those with schizophrenia?

Answer 4

Hippocampus
Superior temporal gyrus
DLPFC
Amygdala
Thalamus

Question 5

What has neuropathologic investigation shown about schizophrenic brains?

Answer 5

• Decreased size and packing density of pyramidal neurons in the PFC
• Reduced GABAergic neurons in layer III of the DLPFC
• Decreased dendritic spines
• Overall size decreases of roughly 3%

Question 6

It’s thought that in those with schizophrenia, the mesolimbic system has too ____________ dopamine, while the mesocortical system has too ____________ dopamine.

Answer 6

much; little

Question 7

Schizophrenia seems to be caused, genetically, by ______________.

Answer 7

many small alleles

Question 8

Idiosyncratic associations present in speech or writing are called _______________.

Answer 8

formal thought disorders

Question 9

The rate of smoking in those with schizophrenia is ________ times that of the general population.

Answer 9

3

Question 10

In addition to dopamine, what other neurotransmitter abnormality has been hypothesized to be associated with schizophrenia?

Answer 10

Hypoactivity of glutamate

Question 11

True or false: there is tolerance to the antipsychotic effects of first-generation antipsychotics.

Answer 11

False.

Question 12

Describe the GABAergic theory of schizophrenia.

Answer 12

Those with schizophrenia often have decreased levels of inhibitory interneurons in layer III of the prefrontal cortex, suggesting possible involvement of that area.