1. Module 23: Mood Disorders & Schizophrenia
Virginia Union University
Introduction to Psychology

2. Schizophrenia
Serious mental disorder that lasts for at least 6 months and includes 2 of the following symptoms that interfere with personal & social functioning:
Delusions (irrational beliefs)
Hallucinations (sensory experiences without any stimulation from the environment)
Disorganized speech, behavior & thought
Emotional disorders
Motor disorders

3. Schizophrenia 3 of the most common Paranoid schizophrenia
Disorganized schizophrenia
Catatonic schizophrenia

4. Schizophrenia Paranoid schizophrenia
Characterized by auditory hallucinations/delusions (e.g., thoughts of being persecuted by thoughts/thoughts of grandeur)

5. Schizophrenia Disorganized schizophrenia
Marked by bizarre ideas, often about one’s body, confused speech, childish behavior, emotional swings & often extreme neglect of personal appearance & personal hygiene

6. Schizophrenia Catatonic schizophrenia
Characterized by periods of wild excitement or periods of rigid, prolonged immobility; sometimes the person assumes the same frozen posture for hours on end

7. Schizophrenia Chances of recovery Depends on symptoms
Different symptoms for different type of schizophrenia (2 types)
Type 1 Schizophrenia
Positive symptoms (the presence of something)
Hallucinations/delusions, no intellectual impairment, good reaction to medicine, good chance of recovery
Type 2 Schizophrenia
Negative symptoms (the absence of something)
Dulled emotions, little inclination to speak, intellectual impairments, poor reaction to medicine, poor chance of recovery
Best predictor of recovery – positive symptoms

8. Schizophrenia Causes that interact in the development of schizophrenia
Biological causes
Neurological causes
Environmental causes

9. Schizophrenia Biological causes Genetic predisposition Infections
Supported by twin studies (48-83% chance of developed schizophrenia)
Genetic markers – identifiable gene or number of genes or a specific segment of a chromosome that is directly linked to some behavioral, physiological, or neurological trait or disease
Schizophrenia said to depend on a combination of genes
Infections
Pregnant women who get the flu more likely to have children who will develop schizophrenia
Childhood infections can contribute to schizophrenia risk (esp. those that affect the brain)

10. Schizophrenia Neurological causes Ventricle size
Fluid filled cavities in the brain that help to cushion the brain & serve as a reservoir for nutrients & hormones
Ventricles larger than normal in up to 80% of schizophrenics
Frontal lobe: prefrontal cortex
Part of the brain involved in executive functions, like reasoning & planning
Prefrontal cortex less activated in the brains of schizophrenics
Frontal & temporal lobes may be smaller due to fewer brain cells & connections
Neurotransmitters
Dopamine theory – dopamine neurotransmitter system is somehow overactive & gives rise to a wide range of symptoms

11. Schizophrenia Treatment
Neuroleptic (antipsychotic) drugs – change the levels of neurotransmitters in the brain
Two kinds
Typical
Primarily reduce levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine
Drugs mainly reduce positive symptoms & have little effect on negative symptoms
20% of schizophrenics not helped by typical neuroleptics
Atypical (newer drugs)
Lower levels of dopamine & other neurotransmitters, like serotonin
Drugs primarily reduce positive symptoms, may reduce negative symptoms, and prevent relapse

12. Schizophrenia Evaluation of neuroleptic drugs
Phenothiazines (typical neuroleptic)
Widely prescribed to treat schizophrenia
Can produce unwanted motor movements called tardive dyskinesia – risk increases with use
Only 20-30% of schizophrenics showed good outcomes 2-12 years after treatment
60% of patients taken off a typical neuroleptic experienced a relapse (compared to 34% of those maintained on an atypical neuroleptic)

13. Schizophrenia Evaluation of atypical neuroleptic drugs
Caused tardive dyskinesia in only about 5% of patients (compared to 1-29% of patients on typical neuroleptics)
Other side effects include inc. levels of cholesterol, glucose, blood sugar, weight gain, worsening diabetes, etc.
As effective in reducing pos. symptoms, more effective in reducing neg. symptoms, less likely to cause tardive dyskinesia & more effective in preventing relapse