Psychological Disorders 2

People with schizophrenia have inappropriate symptoms (hallucinations, disorganized thinking, deluded ways) not present in healthty individuals

People with schizophrenia also have absence of appropriate symptoms (apathy, expressionless faces, rigid bodies) present in healthy individuals (negative symptoms).

When schizophrenia is slow to develop recovery is doubtful. These patients usually display more negative symptoms.

When schizophrenia rapidly develops recovery is better. These patients usually show more positive symptoms.

• Abnormalities in Brain Structure and Function:
• •Dopamine Overactivity: Researchers have found that people with schizophrenia have more dopamine
• D4 receptors in the brain than healthy adults.
• • Brain scans show abnormal activity in frontal cortex, thalamus and amygdala.
• Schizophrenia patients may have enlarged ventricles (fluid-filled areas of the brain).
• Also, if the fetus was infected with a virus when in the womb this could cause schizophrenia as well

• The likelihood of individuals suffering from schizophrenia is 50% if their identical twins have the disease
• if both parents have it 40%
• if fraternal twin 20%
• one parent 15%
• sibling 10%
• nephew 5%

—Schizophrenia has been observed in individuals who contracted a viral infection (flu) during the middle of their fetal development.

— So, it is thought that prenatal difficulties might contribute to development of schizophrenia in individuals who are genetically predisposed.

Psychological and environmental stress can trigger schizophrenia if the individual was genetically predisposed