Psychotic and Neurodevelopmental Disorders Definitions

Psychotic Disorders Definitions

  • Schizophrenia: A Psychotic disorder in which personal, social, and
    occupational functioning deteriorates as a result of unusual
    perceptions, odd thoughts, disturbed emotions, and motor
    irregularities

  • Brief Psychosis: Various psychotic symptoms, such as delusions,
    hallucinations, disorganized speech, restricted or
    inappropriate affect, and catatonia

Hallucinations: Perceptions that feel real but happen without any actual external stimulus.
(Example: hearing voices when no one is talking.)

  • Delusions: Strongly held false beliefs that don’t change even when there’s clear evidence they’re not true.
    (Example: believing the FBI is tracking you despite no proof.)

  • Schizophreniform Disorder: A mental disorder similar to schizophrenia but lasting less than six months.

  • Schizoaffective Disorder: Marked symptoms of both schizophrenia and a
    major depressive episode or a manic episode, 6+ months

  • Alogia: A symptom of schizophrenia; poverty of speech (stopping in the middle of thought)

  • Avolition: Loss of volition(power/free will)

Antipsychotic Medications

  • Types of Antipsychotic Medications:

  • Side effects:

  • Parkinsonian and related symptoms: Symptoms similar to Parkinson’s disease—slow movement, muscle stiffness, tremors—caused by dopamine blockage
    Neuroleptic malignant syndrome: A rare, life-threatening reaction to antipsychotic medications that causes high fever, severe muscle rigidity, confusion, and unstable vital signs.
    Tardive dyskinesia: A long-term, sometimes permanent disorder involving involuntary, repetitive movements (often of the face, lips, or tongue).

    • First Generation Antipsychotics (FGAs, neuroleptics): Older drugs primarily used to treat schizophrenia; examples include: 1. Chlorpromazine (Thorazine)

      A low-potency antipsychotic that helps reduce positive symptoms but causes more sedation and anticholinergic side effects.

      2. Haloperidol (Haldol)

      A high-potency antipsychotic that works well for severe agitation and psychosis but has a higher risk of movement side effects (EPS).

      3. Fluphenazine

      A high-potency antipsychotic similar to Haldol, often used in long-acting injections; also has a high risk of extrapyramidal symptoms.

      4. Thioridazine

      A low-potency antipsychotic known for sedation and anticholinergic effects, with a lower risk of movement problems but higher risk of cardiac issues.

    • Second Generation Antipsychotics (SGAs): Newer drugs that tend to have a lower risk of side effects compared to FGAs; include drugs like:Risperidone (Risperdal)

      Helps with both positive and negative symptoms; can cause weight gain and increased prolactin.

      2. Olanzapine (Zyprexa)

      Very effective but known for significant weight gain and metabolic issues (like high blood sugar).

      3. Quetiapine (Seroquel)

      Treats psychosis and mood symptoms; often sedating and used for sleep in low doses.

      4. Clozapine (Clozaril)

      The most effective antipsychotic for treatment-resistant schizophrenia but requires regular blood tests because it can cause dangerous low white blood cell counts.

Child and Adolescent Disorders Definitions

DBT is tied to BPD

  • Separation Anxiety Disorder: Extreme anxiety, often panic, whenever they are separated from home or a parent

  • Selective Mutism: an individual persistently does not speak in certain social situations in which speech is expected, although speaking in other situations presents no problem

  • Conduct Disorder: A more severe problem, in which children repeatedly
    violate others’ basic rights. (specifically tied to Multisystemic Therapy (MST))

  • Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD): Children with this disorder are repeatedly argumentative and defiant, angry and irritable, and, in
    some cases, vindictive

  • Reactive Attachment Disorder: A condition in which a child has difficulty forming healthy attachments to caregivers, often due to neglect or lack of responsiveness.

  • Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: A condition caused by prenatal alcohol exposure that leads to growth problems, facial abnormalities, and lifelong brain/behavior difficulties

  • Neurodevelopmental Disorder: A group of disorders that manifest during the developmental period, generally before the child enters grade school.

  • Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): A complex developmental disorder characterized by extremely unresponsive to others, uncommunicative, repetitive,
    and rigid

  • Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD): A neurodevelopmental disorder marked by a persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity.

Neurocognitive Disorders

  • Leading Cause of Substance Abuse in the Elderly: Misuse of prescription drugs due to chronic health problems, pain, and polypharmacy (taking many medications)

  • Major Neurocognitive Disorder

    A significant decline in one or more cognitive areas (memory, attention, language, etc.) that interferes with daily functioning and independence.

    Mild Neurocognitive Disorder

    A modest decline in cognitive abilities, but it does NOT interfere with independence. The person can still function on their own, just with extra effort or support.

    Delirium

    A sudden, short-term disturbance in attention and awareness, marked by confusion, disorientation, and difficulty focusing, usually caused by a medical condition, infection, or substance use.

Alzheimer’s Disease

A progressive brain disorder that causes memory loss, confusion, and decline in thinking and daily functioning. Common treatment: Donepezil (Aricept) – increases acetylcholine to help memory.

Korsakoff’s Syndrome

A disorder caused by severe thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency, often linked to long-term alcohol use. Thiamine (Vitamin B1) replacement – restores the vitamin needed for brain function. stop alchohol consumption
Characterized by major memory problems and confabulation (making up information without meaning to).

Parkinson’s Disease

A movement disorder caused by low dopamine, leading to tremors, stiffness, slow movement, and sometimes cognitive changes. Levodopa (L-DOPA) – boosts dopamine to improve movement.

Dopamine (Neurotransmitter)

A brain chemical involved in movement, reward, motivation, and pleasure. Low dopamine is tied to Parkinson’s; too much can relate to psychosis.

Acetylcholine (Neurotransmitter)

A brain chemical important for memory, learning, and muscle movement. Low levels are linked to Alzheimer’s disease.

Rosenhan Experiment (1973)

Definition: A study that tested the validity of psychiatric diagnoses by having “pseudopatients” (healthy people) fake hallucinations to get admitted to psychiatric hospitals. Once admitted, they acted normally.

Flight of ideas – continuous, acceleration speech; jumping from one topic to another
Echopraxia – imitating movements of others
Circumstancial speech – indirect, and delayed reaction because of excessive and/or irrelevant
detail
Echolalia – repetitive echoing of words spoken by others
Blocking – obstruction/interruption in normal thinking
Expansive mood – lack of restraint in expressing feelings
Delusions of reference – events/objects in the environment have particular significance and are
linked to oneself
Bizarre delusions – totally implausible
Thought broadcasting – delusions that one’s thoughts are being broadcast so loudly they can be
perceived by others
Thought insertion – delusion that one’s thoughts are not their own, but are being inserted by
someone or something else
Derealization – altered reality
Depersonalization – feelings of loss of identity
Poverty of speech – stopping in the middle of thought
Ideas of reference – believing that coincidental events have significance