Day 2: Neurodevelopmental and Schizophrenic Disorders

Neurodevelopmental Disorders

A group of disorders that are onset occuring during the developmental period (influence brain function, neurological development).

Symptoms:

• focus on whether the person is exhibiting behavior apporpiate for their age or maturity range.

• Issues with:

  • Memory

  • Language

  • Behvaior

  • Motor Skills

  • Emotions

  • Learning

  • Speech

  • Social SkillsS

Possible Causes:

• Environmental, physiological, or genetic in nature.

Attention Deficient or Hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

Symptoms:

• Inattention

• Impulsivity

• Hyperactivity

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ADD AND ADHD

• One Is hyperactive and the other isn’t

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

A lifelong disorder whose symptoms are more noticeable by the age of 3. It is characterized by challenges in social interaction, communication issues/ struggles, and restricted or repetitive actions.

Generalized Symptoms:

• Limited interests

• Heightened sensitivity to certain stimuli

• Hyper fixations

• Stimming

• Lack of theory of mind

Schizophrenic spectrum disorders

Symptoms:

• Psychosis is a primary symptom (hallucinations, delusions)

• Disorganized thinking or speech

• disorganized motor behavior

Acute

Meaning onset , intense, or has s short course

Chronic

Long lasting

Positive symptoms

Things that are present but shouldn’t be (ex: halucinations, disorganized speech, etc).

Negative Symptoms

Symptoms that are present but are not ‘visible’.

Delusions

They are persistent false beliefs that are not based in reality

• Delusions of Persecution: false conviction that others are threatening or conspiring against that person

• Delusions of grandeur: false attribution to the self of excellent ability knowledge

Hallucination

Sensory experiences that are not real

Disorganized thinking or speech

Disruption of the structure of a form or thought → leads to people expressing themselves in unusual ways when speaking or writing.

• Word Salad:

  • Mixture of random words and phrases that, together, are unintelligable

Disorganized motor behavior

Unusual behaviors or movements

• Ex: Catatonia: affects speech and behavior functions

  • Excitement (positive symptom)

  • Stupor (negative symptom): a state of near unconsciousness or insensibility

Flat affect

Lack of emotional expression or repsonse

Catatonic Stupor

When you are in a state of near unconciousness or insensibility and cannot move or speak.

Prenatal virus exposure

A potential contributing factor for schizophrenia may be a midpregnancy viral infection that could possible impair natal brain development.

• this is why women who are over three months pregnant are recommended to get vaccinated.

Neurotransmitters

They are signalling molecules released by nuerons that communicate with other cells in the system.

Dopamine hypothesis

Because most people with schizophrenia have excess amounts of dopamine receptors a hyper responsive dopamine system may intensify brain signals with schizophrenia which create positive signals like hallusinations and paranoia.