chapter 8: schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders

psychosis

state involving a loss of contact with reality

schizophrenia spectrum

set psychiatric disorders related to schizophrenia varying along a continuum

positive symptoms

hallucinations, delusions, and disorganization in thought and behavior

delusions

fixed beliefs with no basis in reality

persecutory delusions

false beliefs that one is being pursued by other people

grandiose delusions

false beliefs that one has superior talents and traits

delusions of reference

false belief that external events relate somehow to oneself

delusions of thought insertion

beliefs that one's thoughts are being controlled by outside forces

hallucinations

false perceptions that affect the senses

formal thought disorder

state of highly disorganized thinking

catatonia

disorganized behaviors that lack responsiveness to the outside world

negative symptoms

deficits in functioning that indicate the absence of a capacity present in people without schizophrenia

restricted affect

symptoms in which emotional expression is reduced or absent

avolition

inability to persist at common goal-directed activities

prodromal symptoms

behaviors are unusual and peculiar but not yet psychotic

residual symptoms

schizophrenia symptoms present for at least 6 months

social kindling hypothesis

suggests that the occurrence and impact of psychotic experiences are influenced by social factors

schizoaffective disorder

individuals experience schizophrenic symptoms and mood symptoms meeting the criteria of a depressive, manic, or mixed episode

schizophreniform disorder

individuals meet the primary criteria for schizophrenia but show symptoms only lasting 1 to 6 months

brief psychotic disorder

sudden onset of delusions, hallucinations, etc. only lasting between 1 day and 1 month, after which symptoms vanish completely

delusional disorder

delusions lasting at least 1 month; people with this disorder to not show any other symptoms of schizophrenia

schizotypal personality disorder (STPD)

chronic pattern of inappropriate emotion and social behavior as well as disorganized speech

pathogenic

disease causing exposure to bacterium, virus, or other microorganism

phenothiazines

drugs that reduce the functional level of dopamine and tend to reduce schizphrenia symptoms

neuroleptics

drugs used to treat psychotic symptoms

mesolimbic pathway

subcortical part of the brain involved in cognition and emotion

social drift

suggests that cumulative exposure to environmental risk factors in urban areas over time increases the risk for psychological disorders

expressed emotions

family interaction style in which families are overinvolved with each other

chlorpromazine

antipsychotic drug

tardive dyskinesia

involuntary movement of the tongue, face, mouth, or jaw

atypical antipsychotics

drugs seemed to be more effective in treating schizophrenia

assertive community treatment (ACT)

mental health service designed to support individuals with severe mental illness, where the primary goal is to help them live successfully in their communities