Schizophrenia

By: Zeyu Yao

 Overview
 Causes of Schizo
phrenia
 World of people h
aving the disorde
r (symptoms)
 Treatment
Overview
 Chronic, disabling brain disease
 Approx. 1% of the population suffers the
disease.
 The disorder generally appears earlier in
life in men than in women.
 Treatment can relieve many symptoms,
but people having schizophrenia continue
to suffer throughout their lives.
 No more than 1 in 5 can recover
completely.
 NIMH scientist shows PET scans from a study of identical
(monozygotic) twins, who are discordant for schizophrenia
(only one has the disorder) demonstrating that individuals
with schizophrenia have reduced brain activity in the frontal
lobes (top of scan).
Source: William Branson NIH Medical Arts

http://www.healthcentral.com/schizophrenia/introduc
tion-49-115.html
Causes
 People who have close relatives that
suffer the Schizophrenia have higher
chance of getting the disease (twins, or
child).
 Multiple genes are involved to create a
presiposition to develop the disorder.Not
yet understood how the genetic
predisposition is transmitted.
 May involve genes 13 and 6.
 May involve neurotransmitters dopamine
and glutamate.
Continued
 Abnormalities in brain structure or
function, but they are subtle. The
abnormalities are not found in all people
who have Schizophrenia, but they are
found only in individuals with the
disorder. (Including enlargement in
ventricles, decreased metabolic activity in
certain regions.)
 May be caused by an inappropriate
connection of neurons during fetal
development.
The World of people having
Schizophrenia
 Distorted perceptions of reality
(psychosis)
 The world is distorted by hallucinations and
delusions. Individuals may feel frightened,
anxious, and confused. They may behave
differently at various times.
 Positive symptoms—easy to spot behaviors
 Hallucinations and illusions
 Hallucinations are perceptions that occur
without connection to an appropriate source;
it may come in any sensory form.
 Illusions are misinterpretations of a present
stimulus.
Cont.
 Delusions
 False personal beliefs that are not
subject to reason, and are not explained
by a person’s usual cultural concept.
Delusions may take on different themes.
 Disordered thinking
 The person may not be able to
concentrate on one thought for very
long. He/She maybe unable to connect
thoughts into logical sequences.
Cont.
 Disordered movement
 The person is clumsy and uncoordinated.
May exist involuntary movement, and
repeat one motion over and over again.
 Negative Symptoms—reduction in normal
emotional and behavioral states
 Emotional expression
 The person shows “blunted” or “flat” effect
due to reduction in emotional
expressiveness. Monotonous voice and
diminished facial expression. Speak
infrequently. Lack of pleasure in everyday
life.
Cont.
 Cognitive symptoms are subtle. The
impairments can cause emotional
distress.
Treatment
Medication
 Treatment methods are based on both
clinical research and experience.
 Antipsychotic drugs are best treatment,
but they do not cure the disease. The
dosage of the drugs is individualized for
each patient. (clozapine (Clozaril®))
 Antipsychotic drugs are effective in
treating symptoms such as hallucination
and delusion, but not reduced motivation
and emotional expressiveness.
Cont.
 Patients should take medication on a
regular basis for as long as the doctors
recommend.
 Treatment adherence is often difficult of
people who have schizophrenia, because
they either deny their illness, or forget
to take the drugs.
 May have dangerous side effects.
 Tardive dyskinesia (TD)
 Reduced amount of white blood cells
Psychosocial treatment
Psychosocial treatment
 Illness management skills—take an
active role in managing their own
illness.
 Rehabilitation—social and vocational
training to help people with
schizophrenia function more effectively
in their communities.
 Family education—Family members
should know as much as possible
about the disease and to prevent
relapses.
Cont.
 Cognitive behavioral therapy—
useful for patients with symptoms
that persist even with medication.
Learn to test reality of thoughts and
perceptions.
 Self help groups for people with
schizophrenia and their families.
Works cited
 "Schizophrenia." MedicineNet.Com. 21
Feb. 2008. 2 June 2008
<http://www.medicinenet.com/schizophr
enia/article.htm>.
 Spearing, Melissa K., David Shore, and
John K. Hsiao. "Overview of
Schizophrenia." Schizophrenia.Com.
2002. 2 June 2008
<http://www.schizophrenia.com/family/sz
.overview.htm>.