Subtitle Schizophrenia A psychological disorder characterized by delusions, hallucinations, - PowerPoint Presentation

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Subtitle

SchizophreniaSlide2

A psychological disorder characterized by delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, and/or diminished or inappropriate emotional responses

Nearly 1 in 100 people (60% men)

24 million across the world

SchizophreniaSlide3

Literally means “split-mind”

Not a personality split, but a split from reality

A good example of psychosis (a psychological disorder in which a person loses contact with reality, experiencing irrational ideas and distorted perceptions)

SymptomsSlide4

Delusions- false beliefs, often of persecution or grandeur, that may accompany psychotic disorders

Those with paranoid tendencies are particularly prone to delusions of persecution

“word salad” jumbled ideas within sentences

“A little more allegro in the

treatment”

“

Liberationary movement with a view to the widening of the horizon”

Disorganized Thinking and Disturbed PerceptionsSlide5

Sensory experiences without sensory stimulation

Mostly of the time, they are auditory, frequently voices making insulting remarks or giving orders

Disorganized thoughts may result from a breakdown in selective attention (cannot filter out other information)

HallucinationsSlide6

Expressed emotions of people with schizophrenia are often utterly inappropriate, split off from reality

laughing at a family member’s death, crying when others laugh, becoming angry for no apparent reason,

etc

A Flat- Effect- emotionless state

Most also have difficulty perceiving facial emotions and reading others’ states of mind

Diminished And Inappropriate EmotionsSlide7

Motor behavior may also be inappropriate

Some perform senseless and compulsive acts (continually rocking or rubbing an arm)

Catatonia- may remain motionless for hours then become agitated

Diminished And Inappropriate EmotionsSlide8

Difficult to hold a job

In the most severe periods, they live in a private inner world preoccupied with illogical ideas and unreal images

Given a supportive environment and medication, over 40% of patients will have a periods of a year or more of normal life experience

Many others remain socially withdrawn and isolated or rejected throughout much of their lives

Diminished And Inappropriate EmotionsSlide9

Usually strikes as young people are maturing into adulthood, no national boundaries, men and women

Usually hits men earlier, more severely, and slightly more often

May appear suddenly (reaction to stress)

May appear gradually (long history of social inadequacy and poor school performance

Onset and Development of SchizophreniaSlide10

Positive symptoms- experience hallucinations, talk in disordered and deluded ways, exhibit inappropriate laughter, tears, or rage

Negative symptoms- toneless voices, expressionless faces, mute and rigid bodies

Positive symptoms (presence of inappropriate behaviors) and negative symptoms (absence of appropriate behaviors)

Onset and Development of SchizophreniaSlide11

When it is slow-developing, chances of

recovery are doubtful

(chronic)Those with chronic schizophrenia often exhibit the persistent and incapacitating negative symptom of social withdrawal

When it

develops rapidly (after particular life stresses) (acute) , recovery is much more likely.

Positive symptoms are more likely to be responsive to drug therapy

Onset and Development of SchizophreniaSlide12

Dopamine Activity- excess of dopamine receptors

Speculation that a hyper-responsive dopamine system may intensify brain signals in schizophrenia, creating positive symptoms such as hallucinations and paranoia

Dopamine blocking drugs reduce symptoms, and those that increase dopamine (amphetamines/cocaine) intensify these symptoms

Understanding SchizophreniaSlide13

Many people with chronic schizophrenia have abnormal activity in multiple brain areas

Some have low activity in the frontal lobes (critical for problem solving, reasoning, and planning)

Decline in brain waves that reflect synchronized neural firing in the frontal lobes

This may impact the integrated functioning of neural networks, possibly contributing to schizophrenic symptoms

Abnormal Brain Activity and AnatomySlide14

One study took scans while people were hallucinating

Saw/heard something that brain became extremely active, including the thalamus- structure deep in the brain that filters incoming sensory signals

Paranoia- increased activity in the amygdala

Abnormal Brain Activity and AnatomySlide15

Many studies have found enlarged, fluid-filled areas and a corresponding shrinkage and thinning of cerebral tissue (current/future people)

Cortex, corpus callosum, and thalamus

Abnormal Brain Activity and AnatomySlide16

No perfect answer

Mishaps during prenatal development or delivery, low birth weight, maternal diabetes, older paternal age, oxygen deprivation during delivery, famine…..

Causes?Slide17

Midpregnancy

viral infection that impairs fetal brain development

Increased risk if fetal development occurred during a flu epidemic

Born in densely populated areas, where viral diseases spread more readily

Born in the spring/winter months (after the fall/winter flu season)

Mothers who report being sick with influenza during pregnancy

Blood drawn from pregnant women with higher levels of antibodies

 fetal/viral infections play a contributing role in the development of schizophrenia

Maternal Virus During PregnancySlide18

Is there a predisposition for this disorder? Yes, some do)

The 1 in 100 odds become 1 in 10 among those who have a sibling or parent with the disorder, 1 in 2 if the sibling is an identical twin

Adopted children have an elevated risk if the biological parent is diagnosed

Genetic FactorsSlide19

No environmental causes have been discovered that will, even with moderate probability, produce schizophrenia

Following high risk/low risk individuals

Possible early warning signs

Mother with severe/long lasting schizophrenia

Birth complications (oxygen deprivation and low birth weight)

Separation from parents

Short attention span and poor muscle coordination

Disruptive or withdrawn behavior

Emotional unpredictability

Poor peer relations and

solo play

Psychological Factors