4/4 lecture

Overview of Symptoms in Schizophrenia

• Symptoms can vary widely among individuals. Not all symptoms will manifest in the same way for every person.

Positive Symptoms

• Defined as behaviors or thoughts that are added to a person's repertoire.
• Characteristics:
• Presence of beliefs that are not based in reality (e.g., believing things that are not true despite evidence).
• Examples include delusions and hallucinations, where individuals may think irrationally without a clear basis.

Delusional Disorder

• A type of disorder where the individual holds onto delusions strongly.
• Key examples include a heightened sense of self-importance or feelings of specialness.
• Important to evaluate potential overlaps with other disorders, such as narcissism.

Hallucinations

• Defined as sensory experiences that occur without external stimuli.
• Types:
• Auditory hallucinations are the most common.
• Voices often convey negative and frightening messages.
• These experiences are typically unpleasant for individuals.

Anhedonia

• A key negative symptom characterized by a loss of pleasure in activities previously enjoyed.
• Associated with emotional blunting, where facial expressions may not reflect internal feelings.

Poverty of Speech

• Refers to reduced speech output or lack of verbal communication, not due to motor or memory issues.
• Individuals may exhibit silence or provide vague responses, contrasting their pre-symptom behavior.

Cognitive Patterns/Rapid Topic Shifts

• Individuals may show derailment, shifting between many topics during conversation, complicating communication.
• This is linked to executive functioning deficits in the brain’s prefrontal cortex, affecting problem-solving and organization.

Behavioral Issues

• Can include disturbances in social behavior that are not age-appropriate (e.g., inappropriate public behavior).
• Important to distinguish between idiosyncratic behavior and actual mental disorders; behavior alone isn’t definitive for diagnosis.

General Notes on Treatment

• Medication is a common treatment for those with severe symptoms.
• Cognitive-behavioral methods can be adjunctive treatments, particularly once stability on medication is achieved.

Final Thoughts

• It's crucial to assess the individual's history and past behaviors to understand changes better and distinguish between disorders readily.