Schizophrenia: Contemporary Study (Carlsson et al 1999) Flashcards Preview

Y2 Clinical (Mine) > Schizophrenia: Contemporary Study (Carlsson et al 1999) > Flashcards

Flashcards in Schizophrenia: Contemporary Study (Carlsson et al 1999) Deck (16)
Loading flashcards...
1
Q

What were the aims of this contemporary study?

A
  • To review studies into the relationship between dopamine and glutamate on the symptoms of schizophrenia
  • To explore glutamatergic deficiency which is a rival theory of the dopamine hypothesis
2
Q

Define ‘glutamate’.

A

A neurotransmitter nerve cells use to send messages to other nerve cells that controls memory and learning.

3
Q

What was used in the sample?

A

32 studies investigating neurochemical levels in patients with schizophrenia.

4
Q

What type of method was used?

A

Literature review

5
Q

Briefly describe the procedure of this contemporary study.

A
  • Reviewed 32 pieces of research into the relationship between neurotransmitters and schizophrenia
  • Considered evidence from studies on the use of recreational drugs known to induce psychosis and studies into the effectiveness of drugs used to treat schizophrenia and their method of action on the brain
6
Q

What were the 3 parts to the results of Carlsson’s study?

A

1) Dopamine as an explanation for schizophrenia
2) Glutamate as an explanation for schizophrenia
3) Drug treatments

7
Q

Briefly describe the first part of the results.

A

1) Dopamine as an explanation for schizophrenia
- Evidence from PET scans support the dopamine hypothesis as patients with SZ showed more dopamine activity than a healthy control group - especially in the basal ganglia

8
Q

Briefly describe the second part of the results.

A

2) Glutamate as an explanation for schizophrenia
- Evidence supports the role of hypoglutamergia in the development of psychotic symptoms
Miller and Abercrombie (1996) show that the release of dopamine is increased if glutamate activity is reduced through blocking NMDA receptors with PCP
- Glutamate failure in the cerebral cortex may lead to negative symptoms whereas failure in the basal ganglia may lead to positive symptoms

9
Q

Briefly describe the third part of the results.

A

3) Drug treatments
- Some patients respond better to some drugs than others which could be due to some people’s SZ being more dopaminergic than others
- Those who are more resistant to antipsychotics may have a more glutamatergic condition whereby the drug clozapine is supposed to help due to targeting serotonin instead and it is highly effective on ‘untreatable patients’ with limited side effects

10
Q

Describe the conclusion of this contemporary study.

A
  • Carlsson concluded that further research is needed in developing drugs to treat schizophrenia that avoid negative side effects
  • This should be done by considering more neurotransmitters than dopamine in the development of the disorder
  • Schizophrenia may have different types that could be caused by different neurotransmitters
11
Q

Evaluate the generalisablity using a high and low point.

A

P - High
E - Used 32 pieces of research looking at the different types of schizophrenia
E - Therefore this represents all/most patients with schizophrenia
P - Low
E - Study uses research from 20 years ago where data would be ‘time-locked’ to that era’s society where behaviour of schizophrenia
E - Therefore it would not represent people with schizophrenia and their symptoms today

12
Q

Evaluate the reliability using 2 high points.

A

P - High
E - Studies used PET scans
E - Data is scientific, objective and easily comparable
P - High
E - Secondary data of 32 studies allows for high quantity of findings
E - Therefore there is more to compare for consistency

13
Q

Are there any applications?

A

P - Yes
E - Showed that there are potentially more neurotransmitters such as serotonin involved in the development of schizophrenia
E - Therefore drugs can be developed to tackle different types and different symptoms, including negative ones

14
Q

Evaluate the validity using a high and low point.

A

P - High
E - Looked at the wide spectrum of different types of schizophrenia and whether or not it was in remission
E - Therefore findings have more credibility due to the volume
P - Low
E - Secondary data of 32 studies that involve animal research
E - Wouldn’t know about subjectivity or researcher bias in whether the animals were actually displaying symptoms of schizophrenia which decreases credibility

15
Q

Evaluate the ethics using 2 high points.

A

P - Good
E - Uses secondary data from 32 other studies in the public domain
E - Therefore no ethical considerations to be made and no ethical guidelines broken
P - Good
E - Uses animals in research
E - More ethical to use for extensive research with things such as drugs than humans

16
Q

Briefly describe what past studies included

A

PET scans used on SZ patients to show relationship between dopamine and glutamate

Animal research used to show the link between dopamine and glutamate and symptoms of SZ (and for seeing effect of amphetamines, and treatment drugs)