SchizophreniaSection D

Modular 23

Definition and Types Page 538– Michael McCabe Schizophrenia– at least two of the

following: delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, behavior, and decreased emotional expression

No two patients have same symptoms Paranoid schizophrenia Disorganized schizophrenia Catatonic schizophrenia

Definition and Types Type I schizophrenia

(positive symptoms) has a good chance of recovery because it reacts well to medication

Type II Schizophrenia (negative symptoms) has poor chance at recovery because

Page 538– Symptoms (Disorders of thought, attention, perception, motor disorders, emotional disorders)

Biological Causes Biological, neurological and environmental

factors can lead to schizophrenia The Genain quadruplets all developed

schizophrenia showing that genetic code plays a role in schizophrenia (identical twins show similar numbers)

Researchers are now trying to find the genetic marker for schizophrenia

Neurological Causes Schizophrenics seam to have larger

ventricles and decreased activity in the prefrontal lobe

Our brain has four fluid filled cavities to cushion the brain called ventricles

The large ventricles result in smaller brains The smaller prefrontal lobe suits the

symptoms well with disorganized thought, irrational beliefs, and lack of concentration

Environmental Causes

Researchers believe that stressful events can contribute to the onset of schizophrenia

Diathesis theory states that a genetic predisposition that interacts with life stressor lead to schizophrenia

Treatment Positive symptoms are distortion of

normal functions– thinking leading to delusion, perceptions resulting in hallucinations, language leading to disorganized speech

Negative symptoms reflect a decrease of normal functions

Neuroleptic drugs (antipsychotic drugs) are used to treat serious mental disorders by changing levels of neurotransmitters

Treatment Two of the more

common Neuroleptic drugs are thorazine and haloperidol that reduce positive symptoms

Dopamine theory– states that neurons in the basal ganglia use dopamine in communicating and are blocked

Treatment Atypical Neuroleptic

Drugs- reduce the levels of serotonin

Drugs are for positive symptoms but may also improve some negative symptoms (used by Michael)

The atypical Neuroleptic drugs are now the primary choice of doctors

Evaluation of Neuroleptic Drugs

Typical Neuroleptic Side Effects

Tardive dyskinesia– slow, involuntary and uncontrollable rhythmic movements and rapid twitching of the mouth and unusual movements of limbs

The risk for developing tardive dyskinesia increases with use Relapse

Patients relapse when they are taken off typical neuroleptic drugs

The problem arises when balancing whether to take patients off drug or face tardive dyskinesia

Effectiveness 2-12 years after treatment 40-60% experienced symptoms of

schizophrenia 5% are not helped by drugs

Evaluation of Neuroleptic Drugs

Atypical Neuroleptic Side Effects

Tardive dyskinesia shows up in only about 5% of patients using the drug 15-35% of patients felt fatigued and emotionally indifferent to

surroundings There is a major problem with 1-2% of patients that lose white blood

cells because of use Effectiveness

More recently it was found that Atypical Neuroleptic drugs have been effective at treating positive and negative symptoms (more then typical)

Some felt “awakened” from a dream Second Revolution

The new atypical neuroleoptics account for a majority of antipsychotic prescriptions

The second revolution in this fight for helping schizophrenics is the discovery that atypical neuroleptic drugs are successful with many symptoms