Week 5- schizophrenia & other psychotic disorders

What is psychosis?

A term referring to a variety of syndromes or a range of specific symptoms.

What are the five symptom domains identified by DSM-5-TR?

Delusions, Hallucinations, Disorganized Thinking, Grossly Disorganized or Abnormal Motor Behavior, Negative Symptoms.

What are delusions?

Fixed beliefs not amenable to change despite conflicting evidence.

What are the types of delusions?

Persecutory, referential, grandiose, erotomaniac, nihilistic, and somatic.

What distinguishes bizarre delusions from non-bizarre delusions?

Bizarre delusions are clearly implausible and not understandable from same-culture experiences.

What are hallucinations?

Perception-like experiences occurring without an external stimulus.

What is the most common modality of hallucinations?

Auditory hallucinations.

What is disorganized thinking also known as?

Formal Thought Disorder.

What are examples of disorganized thinking?

Clanging, circumstantiality, tangentiality, flight of ideas, derailment, and incoherence.

What does grossly disorganized or abnormal motor behavior include?

Ranges from childlike silliness to unpredictable agitation.

What is catatonia?

A marked decrease in reactivity to the environment.

What are negative symptoms in psychosis?

Absence or reduction of normal functions.

What is avolition?

Decreased motivated, self-initiated purposeful activities.

What is alogia?

Diminished speech output.

What is anhedonia?

Decreased ability to experience pleasure.

What is flat affect?

Diminished emotional expression in face, eye contact, and intonation.

What is the duration of Brief Psychotic Disorder?

1 day to 1 month.

What characterizes Delusional Disorder?

1+ month of delusions only; functioning remains mostly intact.

What is the duration for Schizophreniform Disorder?

1 to 6 months.

What is required for a diagnosis of Schizophrenia?

2+ psychotic symptoms and marked functional decline for 6+ months.

What is Schizoaffective Disorder?

Ongoing mood episode (depressive/manic) concurrent with Criterion A of Schizophrenia.

What is the lifetime prevalence of schizophrenia?

1-2%.

What biological factors contribute to psychosis?

Genetics, neurotransmitters (Dopamine Hypothesis), and brain structure abnormalities.

What psychological model explains psychosis?

Cognitive Model (Morrison) suggests distress from culturally unacceptable interpretations of intrusions.

What social factors increase the risk of psychosis?

Urban environments, migration, social exclusion, and childhood trauma.

How does substance use relate to schizophrenia risk?

Daily cannabis use significantly increases the risk of developing schizophrenia.

What is a key distinction in cultural perspectives on psychosis?

Cultural visits are typically comforting and lack the extreme agitation seen in clinical psychosis.

What is the first-line treatment for acute psychosis?

Pharmacology focusing on atypical antipsychotics with a low-dose approach.

What role does CBT play in treating psychosis?

Addresses hallucinations, delusions, and negative symptoms while providing relapse prevention.

What is a major predictor of relapse in psychosis?

High levels of expressed emotion (criticism, hostility, over-involvement) within families.

What percentage of patients achieve both social/vocational recovery and symptomatic remission?

Approximately 25%.