Psychology 2221A/B Study Guide - Final Guide: Reserpine, Dyskinesia, Chlorpromazine

• School: Western University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: Psychology 2221A/B
• Professor: Cross-Mellor

Document Summary

Difficulties in diagnosing psychiatric disorders: patients suffering from the same disorder often display different symptoms, patients suffering from different disorders often display many of the same symptoms. Inappropriate affect: alogia: absence of speech, anhedonia: inability to experience pleasure, affective flattening: diminished emotional expression, avolition: reduction or absence of motivation, catatonia, poor prognosis. Causal factors of schizophrenia: evidence of a genetic contribution, family members of people with schizophrenia are more likely to have it. Inherit an increased risk for the disorder: multiple causes , several different chromosomes implicated, associated with various early insults which alter brain development. Dopamine theory of schizophrenia: antipsychotics work by decreasing dopamine therefore schizophrenia is due to dopamine overactivity. D2 theory of schizophrenia: degree of binding with d2 receptors is correlated with antipsychotic effectiveness. Problems with the d2 theory: conventional neuroleptics (d2 blockers) mainly effective at treating positive symptoms, negative symptoms may be caused by brain damage.