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Schizophrenia (4)
Clinical characteristics of schizophrenia
Biological explanations of schizophrenia
Psychological explanations of schizophrenia
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The cognitive model of schizophrenia (Beck et al., 2009) explains the development of the disorder as due to the interplay of genetic, environmental, psychosocial and cognitive factors. The cognitive model of schizophrenia can, therefore, be considered a holistic approach to the disorder.
Published in
Schizophrenia
A large number of theorists believe that some people inherit a
predisposition for unipolar depression and this view has been supported
by family pedigree studies, twin studies and adoption studies.
Published in
Psychopathology
During the 1950s it was discovered that the blood pressure medication “reserpine” causes depression in some people (Ayd, 1956). Reserpine was found to lower levels of the neurotransmitter norepinephrine in the brain, which suggests that depression may be related to a lowered supply of norepinephrine.
Published in
Psychopathology
Sunday, 25 May 2008 16:12
Biological Explanations of Schizophrenia - The dopamine hypothesis
Written by Keiron Walsh
The dopamine hypothesis suggests that dopamine over-activity causes schizophrenia. Dopamine over-activity could happen in one of the following ways:
Published in
Schizophrenia
Saturday, 24 May 2008 17:19
Schizophrenia - Biological Explanation - Abnormal Brain Structure
Written by Keiron Walsh
Abnormal Brain Structure
When diagnosing schizophrenia, clinicians make a distinction between positive symptoms and negative symptoms. Positive symptoms involve additions such as hallucinations, delusions and formal thought disorder. These are transient and respond well to medication. Negative symptoms are mental deficiencies such as withdrawal, blunted affect and poverty of speech. Negative symptoms do not respond well to antipsychotic medication. This suggests that there may be different mechanisms responsible for each type of symptom.
Published in
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a psychotic disorder; this means that it involves a loss of contact with reality. Schizophrenia sufferers experience hallucinations (perception of phenomena that do not exist - e.g., hearing voices) and delusions (false beliefs). Schizophrenia sufferers, therefore, often have severe difficulties in functioning.
Published in
Schizophrenia
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People who are more unhappy than usual often say that they are “depressed”. In most cases, however, they are describing a normal mood change in response to sad events or fatigue. In psychopathology, however, depression does not refer to a normal mood, but to a dysfunctional clinical Syndrome.
Published in
Psychopathology
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
As the name suggests, obsessive compulsive disorder is characterised by obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions are recurring and persistent thoughts, images or impulses that provoke anxiety and compulsions are repetitive & rule following behaviours or mental acts which the sufferer feels driven to perform to reduce stress or prevent an imagined catastrophe; for example, handwashing, checking, counting or praying.
Published in
Psychopathology
