Mental Illness

Schizophrenia

Features of Schizophrenia (Positive Symptoms) Positive symptoms –Psychosis Hallucinations –Auditory –Visual –Olfactory, somatic Delusions –Grandeur –Persecution

Features of Schizophrenia Positive symptoms (continued) –Disorganized thought Speech Neologism Word salad

Features of Schizophrenia Positive symptoms (continued) –Disorganized behavior Poor grooming Meals Inappropriate clothing

Features of Schizophrenia (Negative Symptoms) Negative symptoms –Withdrawal –Flat affect (no facial expressions) –Talk little –Lack of motivation

Possible associations Blame the mother! Prenatal infection Genetics Brain structure Dopamine theory

1. Of course it’s that crappy mother’s fault! “Refrigerator mother” Notes

2. Viral Infection Mom caught the flu during second trimester of pregnancy (months 4-6) Also, people with schizophrenia more likely to be born during winter-spring  mom was in second trimester during peak of flu season

3. Genetics 1% of general population Risk of developing schizophrenia appears to be associated with how closely you are related to a person with schizophrenia Stress-diathesis model Figure Family relationships and the risk of developing schizophrenia Klein/Thorne: Biological Psychology © 2007 by Worth Publishers

4. Brain Structure Figure MRI scans of the brains of twins discordant for schizophrenia Klein/Thorne: Biological Psychology © 2007 by Worth Publishers

4. Brain Structure Larger ventricles Decreased activity in prefrontal cortex –Hypofrontality (negative symptoms)

5. Dopamine Hypothesis Excessive dopamine activity associated with positive symptoms of schizophrenia Drugs that decrease symptoms –Dopamine antagonists Drugs that cause schizophrenia-like experiences –Increase activity of dopamine in brain –Amphetamine and cocaine

5. Dopamine Hypothesis One of the first medications for schizophrenia –Chlorpromazine –This is an antagonist of dopamine: prevents dopamine from binding to receptors –Tardive dyskinesia Figure The synaptic effect of chlorpromazine Klein/Thorne: Biological Psychology © 2007 by Worth Publishers

Mood Disorders

Depression

For 2 weeks or more, almost every day Feelings of sadness Things are not interesting or fun anymore Changes in appetite and weight Problems with sleep Lethargic/fidgety Lack of energy Problems with thinking and concentration Thoughts of death and suicide

Associated with … Life events Genetics Hormones Brain abnormalities

1. Life events Too much bad stuff or too little good stuff? Learned helplessness

2. Genetics Concordance rate for monozygotic (identical) twins: 48% Dizygotic twins: 23% Adoption studies: account for flaws in other genetic studies

3. Hormones Embedded in broader social context: –Post-partum depression –Pre-menstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)

4. Hypercortisolism Cortisol – stress hormone –Secreted by the adrenal cortex Dexamethasone suppression test (DST) –Synthetic hormone that suppresses cortisol in non-depressed people

How to treat depression 1) Psychotherapy (won’t have time to discuss) 2) Medication 3) Electroconvulsive therapy

2. Medications Tricyclics (TCA) –Prevent reuptake of norepinephrine and serotonin Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI) –Prevent degradation of norepinephrine and serotonin Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) Figure 15.5 The synaptic effects of three types of antidepressant drugs Klein/Thorne: Biological Psychology © 2007 by Worth Publishers

2. Medications – Safety TCA –Can be dangerous for people with heart problems MAOI –Dangerous if eat food high in tyramine (cheese, wine, pickles); causes dangerous increase in blood pressure SSRI –Fewer and less dangerous side effects

3. Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) Who is it used for? How is it done? How does it work? What are the side effects? Figure 15.6 Use of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) to treat major depression Klein/Thorne: Biological Psychology © 2007 by Worth Publishers

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

OCD Obsession –Thoughts, ideas, images Contamination Something bad happening Compulsion –Repetitive behaviors to reduce anxiety caused by obsession Clean Check Count

OCD Time consuming Distress, impairment Awareness that obsessions and compulsions are excessive

Stressful trigger Genetic component? –Runs in families Brain injury or infection –Basal ganglia, frontal lobe, thalamus –Unable to “shut off”

OCD treatments Exposure and response prevention SSRI Surgery: sever connections between frontal lobe and caudate nucleus (in basal ganglia)

Is there such as thing as mental illness?