Schizophrenia

Human Behavior

Common Misconception…

• People who have schizophrenia do not have multiple personalities or a split personality

• They are split from reality – cannot tell what is real and what is not…

Eugen Bleuler (1857–1939) coined the term

"Schizophrenia" in 1908

Schizophrenia

• definition – mental condition involving distorted perceptions of reality and inability to function in most aspects of life

DID or MPD

• Dissociative Identity Disorder

• Multiple Personality Disorder

• When 2 or more personalities are present within the same individual

DID or MPD

• Most common with people who have been sexually or physically abused

• Amnesia cause the other personality to take over

• Each personality has its own memories, behaviors and relationships (also different allergies, physical symptoms)

Who has schizophrenia?• Most common mental illness – 1-2% of the

population

    

Risks of getting schizophrenia…

Who has schizophrenia?• Common in all cultures, genders, and races

– Men tend to develop symptoms earlier

Symptoms

• NOTE – 2 or more of these for a month would classify you as a schizophrenic– Can be gradual or abrupt

– There are positive and negative symptoms

Symptoms cont.

• POSITIVE – exaggerations or distortions of normal processes or behaviors

Symptoms cont.

1. Delusions

* bizarre or false beliefs about reality

* Examples…

someone out to get them

aliens

believe they are famous

Symptoms cont.

2. Hallucinations

* bizarre, unreal sensory perceptions ofthe environment

* Examples

hearing voices

feeling bugs crawl on skin

seeing objects or faces

smelling things

Symptoms cont.

3. Psychosis

* lack of touch with reality

* Example…

disordered thought process

Symptoms cont.4. Disorganized thinking or speech

* Example…

speak very little

change thought mid-sentence

Symptoms cont.

5. Inappropriate Behavior

* Examples…

childlike silliness

violence

Symptoms cont.

6. Catatonia

* flexed in a certain position for a periodof time

“Waxy Flexibility” – persons arms will remain frozen if moved by someone else for long periods of time

Catatonia…

Negative Symptoms

• Flat Effect – absence of normal behavior or emotion

• Examples– Social withdrawal– Absence of emotion and expression– Reduced energy, motivation, and activity– Poor hygiene

** occurs before and after positive symptoms

Flat effect…

Types of Schizophrenia…

1. Disorganized

* lack of emotion

* disorganized speech

* silly/childlike behavior

* makes no sense when talking

Types of Schizophrenia…

2. Catatonic

* waxy flexibility

* reduced movement

* rigid posture

* sometime too much movement

Catatonic Schizophrenia…

Types of Schizophrenia…

3. Paranoid

* strong delusions

* strong hallucinations

Types of Schizophrenia…

4. Undifferentiated / Simple

* disturbances of thought or behavior or emotion

* does not fit into another category

Causes…• Scientists do not know all the causes…

1. Genetics – “runs in the family”

Causes…

2. Prenatal Damage

* Malnutrition

* Viruses

Causes…

3. Environment

* Family Stress

* Poor Social Interactions

* Infections or Viruses at an early age

* Trauma at an early age

Causes…4. Neurotransmitters (Biological)

* too much dopamine, low levels of serotonin and glutamate

Causes…

5. Brain Abnormalities (Biological)

* reduced number of neurons

* enlarged ventricles

* thalamus abnormalities

Causes…

6. Reinforcement of a bizarre behavior (Behaviorists)

Treatments…1. Medication – Anti-psychotic drugs

* many are made to block and alter dopamine and serotonin receptors

* not a cure, but reduces symptoms (in 50%)

* side effects…

tremors, dystonia (muscle contraction), restlessness, involuntary/abnormal movements of mouth (40%), weight gain, skin problems

Anti-psychotic drugs…

Treatments

2. Counseling…

* family counseling / psychological therapy

* occupational training

* Goal – make them a useful member of society

John Forbes Nash Jr.

Timeline of John Nash

• 1928 – born in Bluefield, WV• 1945-48 – attended Carnegie Institute• 1949-50 – attended Princeton

– Ph.D. 1950– Nash Equilibrium

• 1950-51 – taught at Princeton• 1951-59 – taught at MIT

Timeline of John Nash

• 1953 – 1st child with Eleanor Stier• John David (refused to have contact with)

• 1957 – married Alicia Lopez-Harrison de Lard• 1958 – showed 1st signs of mental illness• 1959 – admitted to McClean Hospital

– Diagnosed with Schizophrenia– son John Charles born – no name for 2 year

• was also schizophrenic

Timeline of John Nash1961-1965 – returned to teach at Princeton1963 – Alicia divorced Nash1960-70 – In and out of mental hospital1965-67 – researcher at Brandeis University1970 – moved back in with Alicia1970-90 – little known about Nash, slowly

improved mental health1994 – Nobel Prize1996 – published research again2001 – remarried Alicia