Neuranatomical Explanation of Schizophrenia

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  • Created by: Lisgoe
  • Created on: 04-11-14 21:10
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  • Neuroanatomy
    • Increasing evidence that people with Sz may have structural abnormalities of the brain
    • Frontal Lobe Abnormalities
      • Area responsible for higher intellectual functioning and fluent language
      • Frontal lobes of Sz's have found to be smaller, compared to non Sz's
      • Buchsbaum
        • PET scans showed reduced blood flow in frontal lobes
          • Those diagnosed with Sz
      • Szesko
        • Found asymmetry in normal brains is absent is Sz's
          • Prefrontal Cortex
    • Ventricle Abnormalities
      • Cavities in the brain
        • Filled with cerebrospinal fluid
      • Anderson et al (1990)
        • Controlled CT study
          • Found a significant enlargement in ventricles of Sz patients
            • Compared to controls
            • Only the case for males
              • Suggests  testosterone may have an affect on the physical presentation of Sz
    • Limbic System Abnormalitles
      • Jernigan et al (1991)
        • Found that Schizophrenic patients have abnormalities in the limbic system
    • Limitations
      • The abnormalities are not all present in people with Sz
        • Suggests there are 2 types of Sz
          • Each has a different underlying pathology
          • Crow (1985)
            • Type 1
              • Genetically inherited disorder
              • Associated with dopamine dysfunction
              • Characterised by positive symptoms
              • Acute onset
                • Good inter-episodic functioning
              • Responds well to antipsychotics
            • Type 2
              • Neuro- developmental disorder
              • Arising from:
                • Prenatal insults
                  • Effects the baby in the womb
                • Perinatal insults
                  • Occurs around time of birth
                    • Obstetric complications
          • "Two syndrome hypothesis" accounts for contradictions seen in findings of studies
          • Simplistic
            • Many diagnosis cases of Sz show both types
              • Acute Sz often develops into a more chronic form

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