Psychology and the Brain: Week 9
Psychiatric conditions – An introduction to
Schizophrenia
History:
Although there are records of Schizophrenia-like symptoms throughout history, medical
records did not show clear cases until around between 1797 and 1809.
- At this time schizophrenia was not considered as an individual condition
- Instead considered as umbrella related to a neurodegenerative process - dementia
The term Schizophrenia was not introduced until 1908 by Bleuler.
• “Schizo” means split – but not split personality but split from reality – difficulty
separating what’s real and what’s not
• Chronic mental health condition affecting 0.5-1% of the population.
• It is characterised by psychotic symptoms, emotional dysregulation and cognitive
deficits.
• Onset is typically later in women (~30 years) compared to men (15-25 years).
• It also tends to be less severe in women, with less pronounced brain abnormalities
and less resistant to treatment.
Positive symptoms – additional to normal functioning
- Hallucinations
- Delusions
- Disordered thoughts
Negative symptoms – lack of normal and typical functioning
- Reduced speech (alogia)
- Social withdrawal (asociality)
- Lack of emotion
- Diminished ability to start and continue activities (avolition)
- Decreased ability to find pleasure in everyday activities (anhedonia)
Cognitive deficits:
- Memory
- Attention
- Planning
- Decision making
, Psychology and the Brain: Week 9
The course of Schizophrenia:
- Starts earlier than formal diagnosis following psychotic symptoms
Premorbid phase - before someone becomes ill
(Childhood)
Prodromal phase (brief positive symptoms and
some functional decline)
(Childhood/Adolescence)
Psychotic phase (florid positive symptoms)
(Adolescence/young adult)
Stable phase (negative symptoms,
cognitive/social deficits and functional decline)
(Adolescence/young adult)
- Diagnosis often given during stable phase
After the initial episode there are several possible courses for the condition:
• 8% will experience several psychotic episodes with functional impairment in
between and no return to normality.
• 22% will experience one psychotic episode only and no further functional
impairment.
• 35% will have several psychotic episodes with a return to normality in between.
• 38% will experience several psychotic episodes with increasing functional
impairment in between and no return to normality.
- Focus now is on identifying people before onset of symptoms – Clinically High Risk.
- Better to treat/intervene before the stable phase – premorbid phase
- Look at hose at high clinical risk to be treated earlier
Having schizophrenia increases a person's
Increased
risk of: family stress
• unemployment
• poverty Physical,
• homelessness verbal or Reduced
emotional employability
abuse
Stigma
Psychiatric conditions – An introduction to
Schizophrenia
History:
Although there are records of Schizophrenia-like symptoms throughout history, medical
records did not show clear cases until around between 1797 and 1809.
- At this time schizophrenia was not considered as an individual condition
- Instead considered as umbrella related to a neurodegenerative process - dementia
The term Schizophrenia was not introduced until 1908 by Bleuler.
• “Schizo” means split – but not split personality but split from reality – difficulty
separating what’s real and what’s not
• Chronic mental health condition affecting 0.5-1% of the population.
• It is characterised by psychotic symptoms, emotional dysregulation and cognitive
deficits.
• Onset is typically later in women (~30 years) compared to men (15-25 years).
• It also tends to be less severe in women, with less pronounced brain abnormalities
and less resistant to treatment.
Positive symptoms – additional to normal functioning
- Hallucinations
- Delusions
- Disordered thoughts
Negative symptoms – lack of normal and typical functioning
- Reduced speech (alogia)
- Social withdrawal (asociality)
- Lack of emotion
- Diminished ability to start and continue activities (avolition)
- Decreased ability to find pleasure in everyday activities (anhedonia)
Cognitive deficits:
- Memory
- Attention
- Planning
- Decision making
, Psychology and the Brain: Week 9
The course of Schizophrenia:
- Starts earlier than formal diagnosis following psychotic symptoms
Premorbid phase - before someone becomes ill
(Childhood)
Prodromal phase (brief positive symptoms and
some functional decline)
(Childhood/Adolescence)
Psychotic phase (florid positive symptoms)
(Adolescence/young adult)
Stable phase (negative symptoms,
cognitive/social deficits and functional decline)
(Adolescence/young adult)
- Diagnosis often given during stable phase
After the initial episode there are several possible courses for the condition:
• 8% will experience several psychotic episodes with functional impairment in
between and no return to normality.
• 22% will experience one psychotic episode only and no further functional
impairment.
• 35% will have several psychotic episodes with a return to normality in between.
• 38% will experience several psychotic episodes with increasing functional
impairment in between and no return to normality.
- Focus now is on identifying people before onset of symptoms – Clinically High Risk.
- Better to treat/intervene before the stable phase – premorbid phase
- Look at hose at high clinical risk to be treated earlier
Having schizophrenia increases a person's
Increased
risk of: family stress
• unemployment
• poverty Physical,
• homelessness verbal or Reduced
emotional employability
abuse
Stigma
