Schizophrenia

Chronic= slow on-set.

Acute= rapid on-set.

7 subtypes.

Positive= delusions, hallucinations.

Negative= alogia, flattened effect.

Family Studies

General= 1%

3rd degree= 2%

1st degree= 18%

Both parents= 50-75%

Twin Studies

Gottesman & Berteisen- schizophrenic parent and identical twin= 17%

Rosenthal- identical quadruplets.

Adoption

Heston- 47 adopted before 1= 10%

Important Genes

hsKCa3 on 22q

Enlarged Ventricles

Johnston- CT scans, increased size of laterals.

Weinburger- ventricles larger in 58.

Andreasen- 20-50% larger.

Lyon- side effects of anti-psychotics.

Cortical Atrophy

Loss of neurons= affects cognitive functions.

Widening grooves of cerebral.

Vita- 80% moderate to severe.

Andreone- ageing effects.

Reversed Cerebral Asymmetry

Right notably larger.

Language skills= alogia.

Luchins- increased reversal in frontal and occipital.

Mathalon- developmental and degenerative.

Oral Stage

Too much/little stimulation= fixation.

During early months= schizophrenia.

Stress, regress, weak ego.

ID takes control, can't distinguish reality.

Hallucinations.

Abnormal Upbringing

Cold overprotective mother, weak ego.

Can't hold desires, broken apart.

Vulnerable to stress.

Delusions.

Unscientific.

Falsified.

Reductionist.

Partial.

Unrepresentitive.

Attention

Faulty filtering.

Info overload.

Can't process.

Cognitive Malfunctions

Unactivated schemas, overload, attention pulled.

Delusions.

External cause.

Functional connection between frontal cortex and perception areas.

Negative Symptoms

Dysfunctional beliefs, cynical and gloomy views.

Filters allow negative messages.

Causes?

Catatonic behaviour?

Brain damages don't all develop psych abnormalities.

Double Bind Theory

Bateson- communication difficulties.

Deconstructivley ambiguous.

Conflicting messages.

Can't metacommunicate.

Expressed Emotion

Critical comments.

Hostility.

Emotional over-involvement.

Warmth.

Positive regard.

Evaluation

Cause or consequence?

Shared environment or shared genes?

Lots of people in stable families that grow up to be schizophrenic.

Blaming families is unethical.

Many who relapse are estranged from their families.

Small samples in research- generalisation.

Reductionist- collaborative therapies work best.

Urbanicity

Higher % in urban areas.

JIM VAN OS- born and raised in urban areas.

Pollution, overcrowding, drug abuse, exposure to toxins, social stress.

Social Isolation

Solitary backgrounds, few friends, absence of family.

FARIS- find contact stressful so withdraw, lack of feedback means strange behaviour.

Ethnicity and Discrimination

More Afro-Caribbean's diagnosed and compulsorily admitted to hospital.

Can't be genetic, not found in Caribbean studies.

Discrimination in society and psychiatry.

Evaluation

Can't be sure.

Paradoxical- healthcare better in urban areas.

Higher social capital in urban areas.

Cause and effect?

Isolation cause or warning sign?