Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia

Chronic, severe brain/thought disorder- NOT mood disorder! Characterized by:
-Hallucinations (V or A)/distortion of reality
-Delusional thinking
-Intrusive thoughts
-Running commentery
-Deterioration of social fxn
-Disorganized personality
-Psychosis

Risks

-Genetics: STRONG familial link
-Extra dopamine
-Small frontal lobes, enlarged ventricles
-Environment
-Stress
-Viruses and low o2 during preg
-Abuse

Prevelance

-Equal in both men and women
Males show signs earlier
16-30 y/o, rarely seen after 45 y/o.

Phase 1: Premorbid

Before psychotic break:
-Social w/d
-Hostile/oppositional
-Social maladjustment
-Introverted

Phase 2: Prodromal

-Fxn impairment
-Sleep disturb
-Anxiety
-Depressed mood
-Fatigue
-Poor concentration
-Positive symptoms: psychotic symptoms.

Phase 3: Schizophrenia

Active stage w psychotic symptoms:
-Delusions
-Hallucinations
-Disorganized speech
-Catatonia
-Negative symptoms
sympt= 1 month
signs= 6 months

Phase 4: Residual

Period of remission and exacerbation.

Types of delusions

1. Grandeur- famous, superhero, god.
2. Persecution- out to get me, bizarre ideas, paranoia.
3. Reference- neutral msg made to be esp for them.
4. Control- thoughts/actions controlled by others.
5. Somatic- false ideas about their body.
6. Nihilistic- fal

Types of schizophrenia

> Catatonic
> Disorganized
> Paranoid
> Undifferentiated
> Residual

Schizoaffective disorder

Symptoms of schizophrenia, along w symptoms of a mood disorder (depression most common).

Dx critereia

A- 2+ psychotic symptoms for 1mth.
B- Social/occupational dysfxn
C- Duration...6mth
D- Schizoaffective and mood disorder exclusion
E- Substance/general medical condition exclusion

Treatment

-Anti psychotics (typical and atypical)
-Therapy (psycho, group, fam, behavior)
-Social/coping skills training

Positive symptoms

psychotic symotoms"
-Delusions
-Hallucinations
-Disorganized thoughts/behavior/speech
-Magical/B&W thinking
-Catatonic behavior

Negative symptoms

Normal behaviors that should be present, but have been taken away. Can be confused w depression
-Emotional flatness
-No motivation
-Can't follow thru
-No content in speech
-Anhedonia

Cognitive symptoms

Thinking process" Struggle w...
-Executive fxn
-Abstract thinking
-Problem solving
-Memory
-Organizing thoughts
-Ansognosia