schizophrenic disorders

Q: What disorders are included in the schizophrenia spectrum?

• Schizophrenia

• Schizophreniform disorder

• Brief psychotic disorder

• Schizoaffective disorder

• Delusional disorder

• Schizotypal personality disorder

Q: What are the core disturbances in psychotic disorders

Psychotic disorders involve disturbances in:

• Thought: delusions, loose associations

• Perception: hallucinations

• Language: disorganized speech, word salad

• Affect: flat or absent emotion

• Behavior: catatonia, disorganized actions

Q: What are positive and negative symptoms in psychotic disorders?

• Positive symptoms: Presence of experiences not normally there; most visible in the acute phase. Includes delusions, hallucinations, and disorganized behavior.

• Negative symptoms: Absence or reduction of normal functions, such as lack of emotion, low motivation, and reduced complex thought.

Q: What does the diathesis–stress model say about the development of schizophrenia?

Schizophrenia develops when an underlying biological vulnerability (diathesis) is triggered or worsened by stress in the environment.

Q: What is the dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia?

The dopamine hypothesis proposes that schizophrenia reflects elevated dopamine activity in the brain. Psychosis can be triggered by amphetamine, which increases dopamine, and blocking dopamine transmission can reduce positive symptoms.

Q: What is neural atrophy in schizophrenia?

Neural atrophy is the loss of brain cells, leading to a reduction in overall brain tissue volume.

Q: What environmental factors influence the onset and course of schizophrenia?

• Family communication patterns and emotional expression

• Childhood trauma, such as physical or sexual abuse

• Prenatal events that disrupt neural development