Transcript Lecture 11

Schizophrenia
And Other Thought Disorders
Origins of the Diagnosis
Kraepelin – 19th century: dementia praecox
Eugene Bleuler (1908) - coined the term schizophrenia
skhizein - split
phren - mind
Positive Symptoms

Delusions: false beliefs
◦ delusion of grandeur: belief that one
has extraordinary powers
◦ delusion of persecution: belief that
others are out to get you
Other Delusions

ideas of reference:

thought broadcasting:

Capgras: belief that someone you know has been
replaced by a “double”

Cotard: belief that you are dead
Positive Symptoms
 Hallucinations:
experience of a sensory event
without the presence of sensory stimuli
auditory
visual
tactile
olfactory
gustatory
Auditory Hallucinations

Broca’s area: involved in speech production

Wernicke’s area: involved in speech
comprehension

brain imaging studies reveal that Broca’s area of
the brain was most active during auditory
hallucinations.
Negative Symptoms

avolition: inability to initiate and follow through
with activities

alogia: the relative absence of speech

anhedonia: lack of pleasure in life

affective flattening: limited range of emotions
visible to others
Disorganized Symptoms

disorganized speech

inappropriate affect and disorganized
behavior
Historic (i.e., until 2013)
Schizophrenia Subtypes

paranoid: delusions of grandeur or persecution

disorganized: marked disruption in speech and
behavior

catatonic: unusual motor activity (e.g., fixed
positions, excessive activity, odd mannerisms)

undifferentiated: do not meet the criteria for
other subtypes
DSM-V criteria for
Schizophrenia

2 or more of the following symptoms for a
significant portion of a month:
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
Delusions
Hallucinations
Disorganized speech
Grossly disorganized or catatonic behavior
Negative symptoms
Possible Biological Causes

genetic influence
Identical twin has it (48% chance)
Fraternal twin (17%)

abnormal brain structure

viral infection

dopamine
Dopamine Hypothesis
Evidence For:
Evidence Against:
many effective
antipsychotics block
dopamine
 antipsychotics produce
Parkinson’s-like side effects
 L-dopa can produce
schizophrenia-like
symptoms
 amphetamines make
psychotic symptoms worse





some aren’t helped with
dopamine antagonists
symptoms take a while to
subside but dopamine
quickly blocked
antipsychotics alleviate
positive but not negative
symptoms
Clozopine works – weak
effect on dopamine
Psychological Influences
Causes
schizphenogenic mother?
double-binds?
Relapse
expressed emotion
Psychosocial Interventions:
 inpatient care
token economy
deinstitutionalization
 social skills training
 family
interventions
 virtual reality
Intensive Case Mangement
(ICM)

Typically, but not always, a social worker.

Links clients to needed services and gives
instruction in basic living skills.

Has been found to reduce rates of
hospitalization.
Assertive Community Treatment
(ACT)
◦ Mobile case management.
◦ Developed by Stein and Test in 1985 in
Madison, Wisconsin.
◦ Other aspects of ACT is that takes a wholistic
approach, attempts to capitalize on the client’s
strengths, and attempts to work within the
ecology of the client.
Treatment for Schizophrenia

Antipsychotic medications
conventional:
Thorazine, Mellaril, Haldol
newer antipsychotics:
Clozaril, risperidal, Zyprexa

Extrapyramidal symptoms:
tardive dyskinesia – involuntary movements of
the tongue, face, mouth, or jaw
 schizophreniform
disorder: symptoms of
schizophrenia that last between 1 and 6
months
 schizoaffective
disorder: presence of a
mood disorder and the presence of
delusions or hallucinations for at least 2
weeks in the absence of prominent
mood symptoms
 brief
psychotic disorder: presence of one
or more positive symptoms within a
month
 shared
psychotic disorder (Folie a deux):
individual develops delusions as a result
of a close relationship with a delusional
individual
Delusional Disorder

persistent belief that is contrary to reality

absence of other characteristics of
schizophrenia

erotomanic: irrational belief that one is loved by
another person
◦ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAHyA3jA50o
◦ Start at 5:50

grandiose: inflated sense of self-worth, power,
knowledge, identity, or special relationship to a
deity or famous person
Delusional Disorder

jealous: beliefs that sexual partner is unfaithful
– no evidence for it.

persecutory: believe that you or loved one is
being treated malevolently

somatic: afflicted by a physical defect or general
medical condition.