Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia

A mental disorder characterized by abnormal social behavior and failure to recognize what is real, often including hallucinations and delusions.

Psychopathology

The study of mental disorders, their progression, diagnosis, and treatment.

APA Dictionary of Psychology

A reference that defines psychopathology as the scientific exploration of abnormal mental states.

Limitations of Psychopathology

Includes issues with measurement and categorization, understanding what is 'normal', blurry boundaries of disorders, and differences between mental health and medical conditions.

ICD-11 Diagnostic Framework

A traditional categorical approach to diagnosing mental health disorders.

Positive Symptoms of Schizophrenia

Symptoms that reflect an excess or distortion of normal functions, including hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized speech.

Negative Symptoms of Schizophrenia

Symptoms that reflect a deficit of normal emotional functions, such as 'flat affect', reduced feelings of pleasure, and difficulty in initiating activities.

Cognitive Symptoms of Schizophrenia

Symptoms that affect memory and cognitive function, including working memory deficits and poor executive function.

Dopamine Dysregulation

An imbalance in dopamine signaling believed to contribute to symptoms of schizophrenia.

Antipsychotic Medications

Drugs used to manage psychotic symptoms by primarily targeting dopamine receptors.

Model of Aberrant Salience

A theory suggesting that psychotic symptoms arise from chaotic dopamine transmission leading to altered significance of stimuli.

Genetic and Environmental Factors in Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia risk factors include genetic predispositions and environmental influences such as prenatal stress and trauma.

Psychoactive Substances and Schizophrenia

Substances like PCP, LSD, and amphetamines can induce psychotic symptoms mimicking schizophrenia.

Faces of Schizophrenia

Notable individuals who have had schizophrenia, including John Nash, Vincent Van Gogh, and Eduard Einstein.

Prevalence of Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia affects approximately 20 million people worldwide, with around 3 million cases in the U.S.

Neural Features of Schizophrenia

Includes disorganized hippocampal formation, enlarged ventricles, and gray matter loss affecting frontal lobe activity.