Schizophrenia

Define schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a mood disorder, characterized by disturbances in perception, thought, mood, and behavior and is defined as a 'chronic' mental illness by the DSM-5 which means that it has been present in an individual for at least one year, is likely to be ongoing, significantly impedes daily lifeand requires constant medical attention

What is the prevalence of schizophrenia worldwide

0.5%-1%

Who is most likely to develop schizophrenia; men or women

incidences ares similar between males and females and its most common to develop between the ages of 15-35

males are more likely to develop it earlier at around 21 years old, whereas females develop it later at around 27 years old

What are the direct costs associated with schizophrenia

GP to hospital admissions

Medication

Expenses related to accommodation and involvement of agencies or services

How much is the societal costs of schizophrenia described in a report from 2012

11.8 Billion GBP/ 20 Billion AUD

What are the indirect costs associated with schizophrenia

Productivity losses (the person themself w/ schizophrenia and the informal carer who's unable to work)

Lost revenue through income tax forgone due to lack of productivity

Cost of transfer payments

Costs associated with absenteeism

What is disability adjusted life years

Measure to determine the extent of the burden an illness has on a population/economy. This burden refers to the sum of years of potential life lost due to premature mortality and years of productive life lost to disability

List the 5 symptoms of schizophrenia

Delusions

Hallucinations

Disorganized speech

Disorganized/ catatonic behavior

Negative symptoms

What are the two delusions someone could have

Persecution

Grandeur

How can speech be disordered

Neologism - makes up a word

Word salad - a bund of words together w/ no meaning

Tangentiality - disturbance in associative thought patterns, move from one topic to another that has little relevance to the original topic

List the 5 sensory modalities that can be affected by hallucination

Auditory

Visual (note this can be the product of organic brain disease)

Olfactory

Gustatory

Tactile

How can disorganized behavior be manifested

childish silliness

psychomotor agitation

bizarre postures

complete lack of focus

complete lack of response to stimuli

What is catatonia behavior

neurogenic motor immobility/ behavioral abnormality (rigid in movement and can become immobile)

What are the phases of schizophrenia

Prodromal phase (decline in functioning) --> Active phase (positive/ negative symptoms appear) --> Residual phase (positive symptoms have remitted but some negative symptoms remain)

Biological factors of schizophrenia

genetic predisposition (first degree relative means you have the odds of 10% of developing it, for monozygotic twins its 50%)

structural brain abnormalities,

biochemical abnormalities

exposed to pregnancy or birth complications

Social factors of schizophrenia

low SES is more likely due to stress, poor nutrition, social isolation, lack of access to medical services

social dislocation

drug use (in particular marijuana)

Psychological factors of schizophrenia

Family environment that has high expressed emotions

What are some treatment options for people with schizophrenia

Anti-psychotic medication (people who have symptoms dominated by positive symptoms are more likely to have a good response)

Psycho-education for the person w/ schizophrenia and family/ friends

What are the negative side effects of anti-psychotic medication

25% fail to improve

weight gain

tardive dyskinesia