Schizophrenia and Psychoses Flashcards
(42 cards)
Schneider’s first rank Sx of Schizophrenia
1) Auditory Hallucinations
2) Thought Disturbances
3) Somatic Hallucinations
4) Delusional Perception
Auditory hallucinations
Thought echo
Voices arguing
Voices commenting on one’s actions
Thought disturbances
Thought withdrawal
Thought broadcasting
Thought insertion
Thought broadcasting
Often accompanied by delusional explanation
Eg. telepathy, radio transmitters
Schizophrenia aetiology hypothesis
Several susceptible genes + Early environmental events
=>
Increased vulnerability
=> Psychoses (with drug misuse or social factors)
Peri-natal risk factors for schizophrenia
Winter births - maternal infection + lower vit D
Low birth weight
Premature babies
Brain abnormalities in schizophrenia
Not diagnostic
Reduced brain volume
Increased ventricular size
Reduced hippocampus and amygdala volume
Amygdala
Fear and emotion
Hippocampus
Memory
Nucleus accumbens
Reward centre
Dopamine
Prefrontal cortex
Logic
Reason
Personality
Social RFs for schizophrenia
Lower socio-economic class Urban areas Recent immigrants Drug misuse Adverse life events
VTA
Ventricle Tegmental Area
Pathophysiological theory of schizophrenia
Hyperactive mesolimbic pathways
Hypoactive mesocortical pathways
Mesolimbic pathway
VTA to nucleus accumbens
Hyperactivity leads to positive Sx
Mesocortical pathway
VTA to prefrontal cortex
Hypoactivity leads to negative Sx
Schizophrenia Sx categories
Premorbid stage
Prodromal stage
Positive Sx
Negative Sx - usually after 5 yrs
Premorbid Sx of schizophrenia
Subtle motor, linguistic and social dysfunction
Prodromal Sx of schizophrenia
Functional decline Odd ideas Changes in mood/affect Unusual speech Bizarre perceptual experiences
Positive Sx
Delusions
Hallucinations
Thought disorder
Behavior abnormalities
Negative Sx
Flattening of affect
Amotivation
Anhedonia
Attention impairment
Anhedonia
Loss of joy from previously positive activities
Definition of schizophrenia
Sx lasting at least one month
With at least one of Schneider’s frist rank Sx
OR at least two Second rank Sx
Second rank Sx
Persistent hallucinations
Catatonic behavior
Negative Sx
Neologisms
