Option 2 Revision Notes

Positive Symptoms of Schizophrenia

• Hallucinations: These are sensory experiences without external stimuli, often auditory (hearing voices) but can also be visual or tactile.
• Delusions: Strongly held false beliefs that are resistant to reason or confrontation with actual fact, such as paranoia or grandiosity.

Negative Symptoms of Schizophrenia

• Speech Poverty: Reduced frequency and quality of speech, leading to a lack of meaningful conversation.
• Avolition: A decrease in motivation to initiate and sustain purposeful activities, affecting personal hygiene and social engagement.

Issues in Diagnosis

• Co-morbidity: The presence of two or more disorders simultaneously complicates diagnosis and treatment.
• Cultural Bias: Different cultural backgrounds may interpret symptoms differently, leading to misdiagnosis.
• Gender Bias: Men and women may exhibit symptoms differently, affecting diagnosis rates.
• Symptom Overlap: Symptoms of schizophrenia can overlap with other mental disorders, complicating accurate diagnosis.

Biological Explanations

• Genetics: Family studies suggest a hereditary component, with increased risk among first-degree relatives.
• Neural Correlates: Abnormalities in brain structure and function, particularly in dopamine pathways, are linked to symptoms.

Psychological Explanations

• Family Dysfunction: High levels of expressed emotion in families can contribute to relapse.
• Cognitive Explanations: Dysfunctional thought processes may lead to misinterpretation of experiences, resulting in delusions.

Treatments for Schizophrenia

• Drug Therapy:
• Typical Antipsychotics: Primarily target dopamine receptors but can have significant side effects.
• Atypical Antipsychotics: Address both dopamine and serotonin receptors, often with fewer side effects.
• Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT): Helps patients challenge and change unhelpful beliefs and thoughts.
• Family Therapy: Involves family members in treatment to improve communication and reduce stress.
• Interactionist Approach: Combines biological and psychological perspectives, emphasizing the diathesis-stress model where genetic predisposition interacts with environmental stressors.

Eating Preferences and Disorders

• Evolutionary Explanations: Preferences for high-calorie foods may be adaptive for survival.
• Neophobia: Fear of new foods can protect against toxins.
• Taste Aversion: Learning to avoid foods that have previously caused illness.
• Cultural Influences: Social norms and media can shape food preferences.

Biological and Psychological Explanations for Eating Disorders

• Anorexia Nervosa: Genetic predisposition and neural mechanisms contribute to this disorder, alongside psychological factors like family dynamics and cognitive distortions.
• Obesity: Genetic factors and neural pathways influence eating behavior, while psychological theories explore restraint and disinhibition.

Stress Physiology and Management

• General Adaptation Syndrome: Describes the body's response to stress in three stages: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion.
• HPA System: The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis regulates stress responses, releasing cortisol.
• Sources of Stress: Life changes, daily hassles, and workplace stress can impact mental health.
• Individual Differences: Personality types and hardiness influence stress response.
• Coping Strategies: Include drug therapy, stress inoculation therapy, and social support systems.