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19 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Schizophrenia
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NT and structure
Disordered thoughts, delusions, hallucinations, bizarre behaviors |
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3 cat. of schizophrenia
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: positive, negative, cognitive
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prevelance of schizo
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1%
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onset of schizo
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late teens and 20s through mid-late 30s
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Twin and Adoption studies in schizophrenia
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show strong heritability evidence
Carrying the “Sz gene” does not mean a person will necessarily become schizophrenic Monozygotic twins: 4x more likely than dizygotic twins to develop Sz Several genes linked to Sz including regions on chromosomes X, 5, and 22 Paternal age is another genetic factor (age over 50) |
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Schizophrenia: Biochemical Factors
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NT imbalance
Positive symptoms may be caused by an overactivity of dopamine |
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The Dopamine Hypothesis is supported by
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inspired by the findings that a dopamine AGO (Chlorpromazine, an anti-psychotic) eliminated or diminished positive symptoms of Sz
Since the medication blocks dopamine receptors, it supports the hypothesis Suggests that dopamine overactivity is caused by either the release of too much dopamine or the presence of too many dopamine receptors |
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Clozapine
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atypical antipsychotic
Blocks D4 receptors in nucleus accumbens Tardive Dyskinesia – movement disorder Facial tics, tongue protrusion, etc. |
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Bleuler, Ugene
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– early 1900’s. very key figure in the early conceptualization of schizophrenia. Much of what we know is with his work. He called it Fragmentation of Thinking.
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Childhood factors present in schizo
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poor eye contact,
antisocial, poor visual tracking. abnormal body movements, negative facial expressions socially shy supports that schizo is a neurodevelopmental disorder |
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factors related to onset of schizo
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genetic predisposition
environment triggers called diathesis stress module |
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notable marker of schizophrenia
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abnormal eye tracking
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biochemical factors in schizo
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Central Nucleus of Amygdala
Part of the mesolimbic pathway; increased number of D3 and D4 receptors in Sz Overactivity of dopamine = overactivity of central nucleus Reinforces everything as a fear-based response Paranoia becomes reinforced |
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cocaine and meth with schizo
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dopamine AGO
Block reuptake of dopamine Produces positive symptoms |
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Schizophrenia: Neuroanatomical Features
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Both negative and cognitive symptoms are linked to neuroanatomical abnormalities
Brain tissue loss Apparent by large ventricle size. Correlated with negative symptoms Hypofrontality – decreased activity of the frontal lobe Corresponds to neurocognitive deficits seen in schizophrenics Reduced attention, executive functioning, and memory because of reduced tissue in the hippocampus Fetal brain damage due to viral illnesses contracted prenatally, obstetric complications, and maternal stress |
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Schizophrenia: Causes of Brain Damage
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Viral illness – inherited as a defect of the immune system; causes the person to be more susceptible to viral illnesses
Theory: prenatally we contract the virus, it lays dormant, stress/puberty triggers the dormant viral illness, produces Sz Maternal stress – the more the mom experiences stress during pregnancy, the higher the level of stress hormone, the higher the rate of Sz e.g. “The War Effect” Seasonality effect – rate of Sz in those born in the winter higher than those born in the summer Contract flu during 2nd/3rd trimester Contributes to viral illness in fetus Latitude effect – the further from the equator, the more likely you are to develop Sz Further from the equator = colder RH incompatibility between child and mom – increases likelihood of Sz |
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Affective d/o treatments
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MAO-I – inhibits activity of MAO, which increases the release of dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin
Harmful side effects Tricyclic antidepressants – inhibits reuptake of norepinephrine and serotonin; also affects other NTs used to treat depression SSRIs – inhibits reuptake of serotonin without affecting the reuptake of other NTs Antidepressant SNRI – specifically inhibits the reuptake of norepinephrine and serotonin without affecting the reuptake of other NTs Lithium – Best treatment for bipolar disorder (rapid half-life); recommended if mania is the primary symptom Side effects = need to test blood levels; weight gain; hand tremors Tegretol – anticonvulsant used to treat bipolar disorder |
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Other affective d/o treatments
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Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) – brief electrical shock, applied to the head, that results in an electrical seizure; used therapeutically to alleviate severe depression
Side effects = brain damage; memory loss; cognitive problems Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) – apply strong magnetic field to part of the brain; reorganizes electrical activity of the brain REM sleep deprivation – substance produced during REM sleep that is correlated with depression; if you don’t enter REM sleep, that substance is not present most effective schedule = total sleep deprived 2x a week, partial the rest of the week |
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Monoamine hypothesis
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depression is caused by insufficient activity of monoamine neurons (dopamine, norephinephrine, epinephrine, serotonin)
Reduced amount of these NTs causes depression Particularly, norepinephrine and serotonin Suggests that depression is caused by monoamine ANT Suicidal patients have low levels of serotonin 5-HIAA = metabolite of serotonin Low levels in depressed patients |
